BDA writes to BBMP to control flooding in Bellandur

After being blamed for the froth and floods in Bellandur, Varthur and Yamalur lakes, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has now passed the buck on to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

In a letter to BBMP commissioner N Manjunath Prasad, BDA commissioner Rakesh Singh has pointed to the delay in commissioning the flood protection works at the three lakes.

In the letter, Singh has warned BBMP of the beating they could receive from the NGT during the next hearings. “It would be relevant to bring to your notice the undesirable further impact of non-completion of works by BBMP if the rains continue further. We may end up receiving a notice from the NGT in this regard and BDA will find it difficult to defend the case and hence the request to complete the BBMP works on a war footing,” Singh said in the letter, a copy of which is with DH.

BDA has stated that while the authority has complied with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) guidelines of controlling floods by creating sluice gates, BBMP is carrying out flood protection works by remodelling the valleys at Bellandur and Yamalur. The inordinate delay in commissioning the works has affected the lake, thus leading to frothing.

Singh in the letter also said that while BDA has completed the construction of the sluice gate at Bellandur and is completing it at Yamalur, delay in executing the works by BBMP has led to blocking the flood water at Yamalur weir. This delay has led to the diversion of flood water to Bellalndur weir, which is causing the problem.

Singh requested BBMP to complete the works without any further delay and temporary barriers constructed across Yamalur be removed immediately.

Reacting to this, BBMP chief engineer Prahallad said that works are going on at Kalkere and Bellandur and will be completed soon. It was only recently that the BDA handed over the lake work to BBMP and they (BDA) cannot expect the works to be completed in a short span when the custodians have been unable to maintain the lake for so many years.