Poornaiah Canal gives the wake-up call
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Poornaiah Canal gives the wake-up call

September 6, 2022

Global warming and climate change in Mysuru

By S.G. Vombatkere

Flooding occurs when the flow of incoming water exceeds the water flowing out. Rainfall causes inflowing water and the natural topographical slopes drain the water away. In urban areas, rainwater flows away through roadside and storm water drains (SWDs) constructed by City Municipalities. SWDs conform to the natural slopes of the land, determined by topographical survey by city planners. When drainage is blocked by silt, construction debris or urban garbage, rainwater enters homes. The areas in Mysuru City which have been flooding every year, are well-known.

Urban expansion has necessitated housing layouts, which demand land. Constructions in low-lying areas which are part of the natural drainage system, or in lake beds, is an equally serious cause of flooding. When layouts are planned, sanctioned and constructed without heed to drainage, flooding occurs.

The unplanned building permitted by civic authorities in Poornaiah Canal have blocked natural rainwater flow into Kukkarahalli Lake. This has been repeatedly flagged by Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP) and Kukkarahalli Kere Ulisi Andolana, but ignored by civic authorities. Others have also demanded removal of encroachments on Poornaiah Canal — Paduvarahalli’s Srigandha Youth Club staged a protest near the City Courts on 20.8.2017, demanding removal of encroachments on Poornaiah Canal.

In 2019, acknowledged water management expert U.N. Ravikumar condemned the unscientific development of layouts and lack of concern for the environment, resulting in encroachments blocking Poornaiah Canal, which feeds fresh water to Kukkarahalli Lake from Bommanahalli Lake near Huyilalu. But civic authorities remained unmoved.

Disaster struck during end-August 2022, when farms, agricultural lands and homes near Bommanahalli and Huyilalu experienced devastating floods, with loss of crops and property. Due to the encroachments of the Poornaiah Canal, water overflowing from Belawadi, Sahukarhundi and Huyilalu Lakes, entered farms and residential layouts in 200 acres of land. Access to an ambulance from one marooned home in a medical emergency, involved wading through flowing flood water for a long distance.

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On 3.9.2022, Mysuru Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dr. Bagadi Gautham assured immediate action to clear encroachments but continuing rains on 4.9.2022 prevented work due to increased flood from Huyilalu Lake overflow and IMD (India Meteorological Department) predicts more rain for the next few days.

The DC ordered work under MGNREGA by Mysuru ZP, but work can commence only after the present flood recedes. Hopefully, the Mysuru ZP will prepare now, for emergency work during the following rainless window, to repair damage and clear the Poornaiah Canal encroachments. They might show zeal like BBMP officials following Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s orders to clear encroachments of Bengaluru’s Rajakaluves, to deal with catastrophic flooding, which has struck a body blow to Bengaluru’s civic and economic life.

The foregoing concerns flooding due to rainwater not draining away, but incoming rainwater in coming years is only set to increase. Extremely heavy rainfall in a short period of time, or heavy rain continuing over a long period of time, are among “extreme events” due to global warming and climate change (GW-CC), already affecting the globe in multiple ways, with Karnataka and Mysuru being no exception. These will inevitably cause flood devastation with loss of fertile top-soil, food crops, livelihoods and property.

The serious August 2018 flood and landslide devastation in Kodagu was studied on-ground by a technical team from The Institution of Engineers (India). The Report stated — besides recommendations for repair/reconstruction — that an important reason for the disaster was GW-CC combined with decades-long deforestation and unplanned building construction. The IE(I) Report concerning collapse in November 2021, of the 1.4-km road connecting View Point to Nandi Statue on Chamundi Hill, made recommendations concerning repair and restoration, and also pointed at the combination of loss of forest cover and GW-CC. IE(I) submitted both Reports to the incumbent Karnataka CM.

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The worst is yet to come, as urbanisation increases unchecked along with increase in frequency and intensity of extreme events of GW-CC. If our Heritage City of Mysuru is not to become a civic and environmental nightmare like Bengaluru, we the people of Mysuru need to understand the civic and environmental problems of tomorrow. Through informed, reasoned and a-political discussion, we must engage with the political and administrative authorities of City, District and State, to ensure better governance.

This is a “Wake-up Call” to the people of Mysuru and to the political and administrative         authorities of City, District and State.

6 COMMENTS ON THIS POST To “Poornaiah Canal gives the wake-up call”

  1. Chamanlal Maneklal Ghia says:

    “Urban expansion has necessitated housing layouts, which demand land. Constructions in low-lying areas which are part of the natural drainage system, or in lake beds, is an equally serious cause of flooding. When layouts are planned, sanctioned and constructed without heed to drainage, flooding occurs.”
    In Modi’s tech India, which is a bullshit any way, as all India does in Mysore and Bangalore is build IT sweatshops like Infosys, which requires vast acres of land for buildings in fertie areas, resulting in eco destruction like this. Murthy made lots of money in his IT sweatshop Infosys, employing cheap IT techies labour to do boring program coding work for large Western companies, which outsourced this work to his company, because Indian IT techies come cheap. Where is that fool , the poster called @Sam, who was product of his IT slave labour in Infosys, and continuing that work in Bay area in the US, as a coder, a brainless chore?
    With massive amount of money earned, with the above IT slave labour, Murthy and his wife Sudha Murthy have given a large portion of it t to his daughter and son in law as dowry, which this son in law, an arrogant villain used to further his political aims in Britain. He stood to get elected as the PM, and was soundly beaten, as his party voters knew that he has been a lying backstabbing Indian, who never shred his Indian meanness although born in England. Meanwhile his daughter is into drinking expensive liquor with the money earned by the se hapless Indian IT techies.

  2. Shamim Bano says:

    Corruption at every stage in Karnataka has destroyed life.The recent flood like situation has taught a lesson to the elite,who have never ever bothered to contribute to a common man’s suffering.Ultimately nature intervention to teach the politicians about their slumber, with out paying attention to issues of concern .Thick skinned that they are,I wonder if they will do any constructive work.

  3. Hemanth. S says:

    @Star of Mysore
    I read the comments from @Chamanlal Maneklal Ghia and I do not know how a reputed news paper can print the comments of disturbed mind which is making imaginary and baseless accusations against a few private individuals most likely because infosys being merit based employer rejected him at some point- alleging them of corruption, dowry, liquor addiction, especially when none of this do not have any proof! Regarding the land acquired by Infosys, Mr Murthy has been on TV interviews multiple times challenging that fake news yet people seem to take pot shots. This may work well with AAP in politics but not when you are going after a private individual.
    I think SOM should safeguard themselves from such posters if they don’t want to get into any legal troubles. At least make sure about the identity of such abusers who may be unemployed/unemployable and have the free time to vent out. This information will be very helpful in case of any litigation!
    Ideally SOM should have a moderator who should not allow such comments that may get them in to trouble

  4. Murthy says:

    Story of Bangalore! Every CM has done his share! No exceptions!
    ನಿಮಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಾ?
    ಇವತ್ತಿನ ಬ್ಯೂಗಲ್ ರಾಕ್ ಪಕ್ಕ ಕಾರಂಜಿ ಆಂಜನೇಯ ದೇವಾಲಯದ ಬಳಿ ಕಾರಂಜಿ ಕೆರೆ ಇತ್ತು.
    ತ್ಯಾಗರಾಜನಗರದ ಪಕ್ಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಗ್ರೇಪ್ ಗಾರ್ಡನ್ ಎನ್ನುವ ಬಡಾವಣೆ ಅಂದು ದ್ರಾಕ್ಷಿ ಕೃಷಿಯ ಭೂಮಿ ಆಗಿತ್ತು.
    ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಗಡಿಗೋಪುರದ ಬಳಿ ಇರುವ ಕೆಂಪಾಂಬುಧಿ ಕೆರೆಯ ವಿಸ್ತೀರ್ಣ ಈಗಿನದಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಎರಡರಷ್ಟು ಇತ್ತು,
    ಧರ್ಮಾಂಬುಧಿ ಕೆರೆಯ ಮೈದಾನವನ್ನು ಮುಚ್ಚಿ ಕೆಂಪೇಗೌಡ ಬಸ್ ನಿಲ್ದಾಣವನ್ನು ನಿರ್ಮಿಸಲಾಯಿತು.
    ಅಕ್ಕಿತಿಮ್ಮನ ಹಳ್ಳಿ ಕೆರೆಯು ವಿಲ್ಸನ್ ಗಾರ್ಡನ್ ಮತ್ತು ಹಾಕಿ ಸ್ಟೇಡಿಯಂ ಸಲುವಾಗಿ ಕರಗಿ ಹೋಯಿತು.
    ತಾವರೆಕೆರೆ ಮತ್ತು ಬೈರಸಂದ್ರ ಕೆರೆಗಳನ್ನು ಜಯನಗರದ ವಿವಿಧ ಹಂತಗಳು ಜೀರ್ಣಿಸಿಕೊಂಡವು.
    ಸಂಪಂಗಿ ಕೆರೆ, ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಕರಗ ಒಂದಿಲ್ಲದೇ ಹೋಗಿದ್ದರೆ ನೀರಿನ ಬಿಂದುವನ್ನೂ ಉಳಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ತಾ ಇರಲಿಲ್ಲ… ಸ್ಟೇಡಿಯಂ ಪಕ್ಕದ ಒಂದು ಸಣ್ಣ ಕೊಳದ ಕಟ್ಟೆಯಾಗಿ ಈಗಲೂ ಜೀವ ಹಿಡಿದು ನಿಂತಿದೆ.
    ಮತ್ತೀಕೆರೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದ ಕೆರೆಯು ಬಡಾವಣೆಯ ಹೆಸರಿನಲ್ಲಷ್ಟೇ ಉಳಿದು ಹೋಗಿದೆ. ಇದ್ದ ೧೧೨ ಎಕರೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ೩೦ ಎಕರೆ ೧೯೯೦ರ ವೇಳೆಗೇ ಕಳೆದು ಹೋಗಿತ್ತು.
    ಲಕ್ಕಸಂದ್ರ ಕೆರೆ ಎಲ್ಲಿದೆ ಎಂದು ಹುಡುಕಿ ಕೊಟ್ಟವರಿಗೆ ಬಹುಮಾನ ಕೊಡಬಹುದು.
    ಚೆನ್ನಮ್ಮನಕೆರೆ ಅಚ್ಚುಕಟ್ಟು ಎಷ್ಟು ಅಚ್ಚುಕಟ್ಟಾಗಿ ಬಡಾವಣೆ ಮಾಡಿದಾರೆ ಅಂದರೆ ಕೆಳಗೊಂದು ರಾಜಕಾಲುವೆ ಮುಚ್ಚಿದ್ದರೆ ಈಗಲೂ ಒಂದೇ ಮಳೆಗೆ ಅರ್ಧ ಬಡಾವಣೆ ಮುಳುಗುವಷ್ಟು ಸಾಮರ್ಥ್ಯ ಪಡೆದಿದೆ.
    ಅರಕೆರೆ, ಹುಳಿಮಾವು ಕೆರೆ, ಕೋಡಿ ಚಿಕ್ಕನಹಳ್ಳಿ ಕೆರೆ ಮತ್ತು ರೂಪೇನ ಅಗ್ರಹಾರ ಕೆರೆಗಳು ಬಿಟಿಎಂ ಲೇಔಟ್ ಎಂಬ ಚಕ್ರವ್ಯೂಹದಲ್ಲಿ ಕಳೆದುಹೋಗಿದೆ.
    ಇಂದಿನ ಕೆ.ಆರ್ ಮಾರುಕಟ್ಟೆ ಅಂದಿನ ಸಿದ್ಧಿಕಟ್ಟೆ ಕೆರೆ.
    ಹೊಸಕೆರೆ ಹಳ್ಳಿ ಕೆರೆಯನ್ನು ನೋಡಿದರೆ ಕೆರೆಯನ್ನು ಹೇಗೆ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥಿತವಾಗಿ ಒಂದು ಕಡೆಯಿಂದ ಮುಚ್ಚುತ್ತಾ ಮುಳುಗಿಸ್ತಾರೆ ಎಂಬ ಪರಿಚಯ ಆಗುತ್ತದೆ.
    ಸಾರಕ್ಕಿ ಕೆರೆ ಈಗಾಗಲೇ ೮೨ ಎಕರೆ ವಿಸ್ತೀರ್ಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಆರೇಳು ಎಕರೆ ವಿಸ್ತೀರ್ಣ ಭೂಮಿ ಕಳ್ಳರ ಪಾಲಾಗಿದೆ.
    ಪುಟ್ಟೇನಹಳ್ಳಿ ಕೆರೆ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಹೆಸರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ವಾಕಿಂಗ್ ಪಾತ್, ಅದೂ, ಇದು ಅಂತ ಒಂದಿಷ್ಟು ಜಾಗ ಕಳೆದುಹೋದರೂ, ಕೆರೆಯ ವ್ಯಾಪ್ತಿ ಇನ್ನೂ ಉಳಿದಿದೆ.

    ಮಡಿವಾಳ ಕೆರೆ ಸುಮಾರು 276.75ಎಕರೆ ಪ್ರದೇಶದಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದು, ಬಿಡಿಎ ರಸ್ತೆ, ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಅಂತೆಲ್ಲ ಮೂರು ಎಕರೆ ನುಂಗಿ ನೊಣೆಯಿತು. ಮೂವತ್ತೈದು ಎಕರೆ ಭೂಮಿಯ ಅತೀವ ಪ್ರೀತಿಯುಳ್ಳ ಭೂಗಳ್ಳರ ಕಬ್ಜಾದಲ್ಲಿ ನಲುಗುತ್ತಿದೆ.

    ಕಾಮಾಕ್ಷಿಪಾಳ್ಯ ಕೆರೆ ಈಗಾಗಲೇ ಒಣಗಿಸಿ ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕ ಬಳಕೆಗೆ ಫಿಲ್ ಮಾಡಿ ಮೈದಾನ ಮಾಡಿದೆ.
    ಬೆಳ್ಳಂದೂರು ಕೆರೆ ಸುಮಾರು ೩೫೬ ಎಕರೆ ವಿಸ್ತೀರ್ಣದ್ದು. ಸಮುದ್ರ ಮಥನದಲ್ಲಿ ವಿಷ ನುಂಗಿದ ಶಿವ ಇಲ್ಲೇ ವಿಷ ಕಕ್ಕಿದನೇನೋ ಎಂಬಷ್ಟು ವಿಷವನ್ನು ನಾಗರಿಕ ಸಮಾಜ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಪೇರಿಸಿದೆ.
    ಹೆಬ್ಬಾಳ ಕೆರೆ ಸುಮಾರು ೧೮೨ ಎಕರೆ ವಿಸ್ತೀರ್ಣದ್ದು. ಇದರಲ್ಲಿ ೨೮ ಎಕರೆ ರೈಲ್ವೆ ಬಳಕೆಗೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟರು. ನಂತರ ೧೫೪ ಎಕರೆ ಪ್ರದೇಶದಲ್ಲಿ ಇರುವ ಕೆರೆ ಬದುಕಿದೆ.
    ಕೆರೆಗಳ ಕರುಣಾಜನಕ ಕಥೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಕೊನೆಯೇ ಇಲ್ಲ.
    __ ರಾಧಾಕೃಷ್ಣ ಕೌಂಡಿನ್ಯ.

  5. KP VIDYASHANKAR says:

    Sensible article. We in bengaluru have stupidly remained silent. At least, mysoreans should get proactive and ensure a win win program of sustainable and environment friendly development plan. All the best.

  6. Howdy, Modi! says:

    Hello Vidayshankar
    I do not know whether you are a Kannadiga living in Bangalore.
    If you are, you seem not to understand why Bangalore has gone the way, it has been.
    Blame the destruction of Bangalore, a beautiful garden city in 1950s, on the then CM Nijalingappa, and his enthusiastic support for Karnataka integration , which ensured that under developed arid regions of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh joined the prosperous Old Mysore state. Nijalinagappa, wanted Lingayat communities in the above new regions to join the Old Mysore, so that he got more Lingayat MLAs from there. Sure, he got BD Jatti and Veerendra Patil, both Lingayats and both became the Chief ministers, and together they did not care for Bangalore. All those Lingayat communities in Belagavi, Bijapur, and Kalburgi who spoke Kannada with a weird accent , settled in Bangalore, and they did not care for the city too.
    These three Lingayat CMs: Nijalinagappa, Jatti and Patil allowed Industries to come to Bangalore, encouraged large industries to be set up near Bangalore, which further attracted non-Kannadigas from other states. In areas of Bangalore then and now, Kannada is not spoken at all.
    Bangalore became second class citizens in their own city. Do not praise Mysore , as Mysore has massive numbers of non-Kannadigas, attracts all kinds of industries, and is going the Bangalore way. Will become much worse if the 10-lane highway from Mysore-Bangalore became fully operations, and the expanded Mysore Airport brings Tamils and Malayalees-the latter settled in UAE, mostly gold smuggling criminal gangs, use the expanded Mysore airport bring gold and contraband goods to Mysore. Your PM Modi, who was in the UAE recently, asked these Malayalees to set up industries in Mysore-the fool does not know that these Malayalees are not businessmen but gold smugglers and operate Hawala money channel.
    The encroachments and expansion of Layouts and finally the flattening of Chamundi Hill through sheer numbers of cars thundering along its road are beckoning in the near future.
    Mysore is finished.

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