JOIN USBellandur residents seek salvation from civic woes
Green Glen Layout in Bellandur epitomises what happens when skewed development takes priority over proper infrastructure.
Basic facilities like water, electricity or underground drainage system, let alone clean, conducive environment for peaceful existence, are all either abysmally absent or come at a premium.
Such is the pathetic existence of the nearly 5,000 families currently occupying the 80 apartment complexes since over a year and a half, that their persistent pleas to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) have fallen on deaf ears and it takes its own time to tackle pressing problems of the citizens.
It has been nearly four years since any development has taken place around the layout, which turns out to be the highest property tax-paying locality in the City.
Problems unaddressed
After several missives to civic officials, the residents who approached local corporator Babu Reddy for redress of their grievances simply directed to approach Palike Commissioner Siddaiah, who, after inspecting the site, approved the development proposal of the area in February 2012.
Almost a year has gone by, but there’s no end in sight to the locality’s woes.
According to the residents, with the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike averse to any practical measures to find a solution to their civic problems, they are being simply used as a tool to generate more money to fill the coffers of the Corporation than provide long-term solutions to the area.
Says Sobha Mayflower Apartment resident Nabin Roy, problems arise every day, and adding to the misery are the commercial establishments who park their vehicles there.
Sobha Hibiscus resident Karanjit, says though BBMP engineer Krishnappa had assured them that work would commence once the monsoon was over, nothing was done.
Blame game
It was only after five visits to Commissioner Siddaiah that an assurance that the work would get underway was given. And true to the Corporation’s maverick ways, the buck-passing rigmarole began.
While the Belandur BBMP office assistant executive engineer spoke of the “budget code,” corporator Reddy had his own reasoning for the non-commencement of work.
Special allowance
An amount of Rs 80 crore is the property tax collected from the 26-km area that comes under his jurisdiction, while only Rs 3 crore is what is sanctioned for the entire area.
This has to be divided between 16 villages and Rs 15 lakh is what each village gets for its development.
He hopes Commissioner Siddaiah would include a special allowance in his 2013 budget plan.
Besides lack of civic amenities, another bugbear is the polluted Belandur lake, which has turned into a cesspool.