Lokayukta slams BBMP, BWSSB over floods

Bengaluru: Lokayukta Justice B S Patil strongly rebuked officials of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) on Friday, holding them accountable for the recurring floods in Bengaluru.

Describing the situation as a clear case of maladministration and dereliction of duty, Justice Patil reminded officers that the Lokayukta Act empowers him to initiate suo motu proceedings against negligent officials.

“Flooding has become a recurring issue. What are the BBMP officers doing?” Justice Patil demanded, a day after surveying flood-hit areas. He directed BBMP to submit a detailed action-taken report and warned that the Lokayukta may appoint a private agency to oversee the civic body’s work if necessary.

Justice Patil, who was holding a meeting with BBMP’s chief commissioner Maheshwar Rao and engineer-in-chief BS Prahallad, also pointed to illegal constructions by private developers in Nagawara, stating that such developments have disregarded legal norms by diverting stormwater drains. He instructed BBMP to identify and act against these encroachments.

The BWSSB also came under fire for allowing sewage to flow into stormwater drains. Justice Patil took the board officials to task, noting, “This is not a question of funding. The BWSSB collects substantial revenue from the public, yet its officers show no interest in fulfilling their duties.”

Meanwhile, he urged authorities to improve door-to-door collection of solid waste, stressing that improper waste management leads to drain blockages and exacerbates flooding.