Palike, water board to work in tandem to tackle rain havoc

Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy on Wednesday assured that the BBMP will work in coordination with the BWSSB to tackle rain havoc during the monsoon.

Talking to reporters after convening a meeting with the palike officers and engineers about rain preparedness, the Mayor agreed that there was lack of coordination between the Palike and the BWSSB.

He said BWSSB Minister S Suresh Kumar has asked him to meet and discuss with corporators of respective wards about various problems plaguing their wards.

The Mayor said he was at the Palike control room, on Tuesday, when the City received heavy rain. “During my presence for a short period of time, the staff received as many as 60 rain-related complaints,” he said. To address complaints effectively, the Palike has deployed Prahari and tree-felling teams at all control rooms in the City, he added.

He further directed chief engineers of all BBMP zones to be on high alert. In addition to it, 30 vehicles to transport silt from lakes have also been pressed into service.

The Mayor urged the corporators to set an example before asking the public to implement rainwater harvesting system.

Later, speaking with reporters, Commissioner M K Shankarlinge Gowda said the Palike would set up coordination teams at chief engineer level in coordination with the BWSSB.

Gowda also had a word of caution for the Bangaloreans and appealed to the people not to venture out when it rains. He said uprooting of trees could prove fatal and asked families not to take children out during heavy rain.