Sir,

After reading about the recent reports on rain water gushing into houses in many localities of Mysuru, here are some of my thoughts on the reasons for floods and suggestions to mitigate its severity.

Historically in India severe floods happen with rivers breaching the banks during the months of September/October. This is also true for urban areas where the situation is worsened because with unchecked growth it becomes a concrete jungle and scope for seeping into underground is limited.  For instance, the major drainage like 11-km of Raja Kaluve being blocked in the city at several places due to encroachment.

It is also observed that in many cases residents too lack civic sense and throw all sorts of garbage everywhere including blocking drainages.

The other important precaution to be taken is not to allow building activity in low-lying areas. The reason as to why in normal cases rainwater rushes into the house even during rains of moderate intensity  is that in many instances plinth level is not kept 900 cm above the road surface as per normal practice.

The situation is worsened every time road is to be resurfaced and another layer added. Thus over the years the road surface goes on raising making things worse. This is a faulty approach.

The road has to be kept at the same level and strengthened by scrapping the surface and building over it.

It is time the authorities come to grips as to why this is happening and find a solution.

– H.R. Bapu Satyanarayana on e-mail, Saraswathipuram, 13.10.2017

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