Day after rain havoc, govt busy with canteen launch

On Wednesday, when a rain-battered city desperately needed the government's help, top ministers and officials were busy with the launch of the Indira Canteen chain.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi was in town for the inauguration and a subsequent rally, giving officials more reason to stay away from inundated areas.

With no work afoot to tackle the flooding, citizens were furious.
The city received record rainfall in the early hours of Tuesday, leaving several homes and neighbourhoods waterlogged.

On plane to Delhi
On Wednesday evening, chief minister Siddaramaiah, Bengaluru development minister K J George, KPCC president G Parameshwara and a battery of top Congress leaders left for Delhi with Rahul Gandhi to discuss the expansion of the state Cabinet.

Mayor G Padmavathi, preoccupied through the day with the launch of the canteen chain, did not visit any inundated areas either.

When DH contacted officials of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the urban development department, they said they had other pressing matters to attend to.

People's efforts
Citizens in many places took up cleaning. “We are struggling to pump out water from our homes and our streets. But no official has turned up,” said Subramanyam R, a resident of Manjunatha Nagar.

He had taken leave from work and joined several others to tidy up the area.

Sumanth M from C V Raman Nagar said repeated calls to BBMP officials had fallen on deaf ears.

In heart of city
It was not just in the outlying areas that citizens faced problems. People living near UB City, a short walk from the Vidhana Soundha, had similar complaints.

“When we call up officials, their assistants or drivers tell us they are busy with Rahul Gandhi and the canteen launch. They don't tell us whom to contact to clear the filth,” said Seema M, who lives on Vittal Mallya Road.

Foam nightmare
Madiwala, Koramangala and Ejipura were overwhelmed by stench, while toxic froth rose again at Bellandur lake, thanks to Tuesday's downpour.

“A lot of garbage came flowing into our basement car park. It was difficult to clean it,” said Kavitha, who lives in Madiwala.

Areas near the BMTC bus depot in Koramangala saw heavy waterlogging. Bus drivers said they had tried to pump out the stagnant water.

"It was about 10 ft deep. We were able to pump out just half of it after much effort," a driver said.

The depot continued to stink a full day after the downpour, he said.

Gayathri, who lives in Koramangala 4th Block, said fellow-citizens had to be called to clear clogged drains.

“Plastic and food came floating down the drains, but we managed to clean them,” she said.

People in Madiwala and Koramangala said drains brimming with garbage overflowed into their homes.