Sir,

Bengaluru is in the news for the city is drowning due to unprecedented rains. As per India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city saw third heaviest rainfall in 75 years at 13.16 cm in 12 hours.

This is not the first time such heavy rains have happened for IMD record shows earlier it happened in 1988 and 2014. This time it did not spare even Vidhana Soudha. The result is that the rain has created havoc turning many roads in upscale areas as canals and the famous IT area has now virtually become like Venice where travelling is done by inflatable boats.

The real fact is the cumulative effect of successive Governments behaving like Dhritarashtra, blind to reasons that they themselves were responsible in bringing about.

Bengaluru had many Lakes and over the years they were systematically allowed to be encroached upon by real estate mafia and as a result, flood absorption capacity to moderate flooding was destroyed.

Besides, there was neglect of  maintenance cycle of regular pre-monsoon-post monsoon drainage that worsened the situation. This was done by creating a safety net of nexus of politicians-bureaucrats-engineers-real estate mafia for personal gain.

Now Raja Kaluves in every city has become a main highway with buildings by powerful people whom they dare not touch. Of course, we the people are helplessly watching.

Now Mysuru is only 75 minutes away from Bengaluru and wonder how soon it will go the Bengaluru way for all symptoms are the same!

– H.R.Bapu Satyanarayana, Saraswathipuram, 6.9.2022

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