Implement flood of available ideas

Friday’s flood fury shook many areas not know for suffering the wrath of the rain gods. Maybe that’s the reason residents of these areas were not prepared for the weekend woes.

Every monsoon, the administration issues stale warnings and recycled claims on cleaning drains. Apart from assurance, rest of the information, if it exists, is not shared with the public. After the damage is done, we hear excuses, including insensitive remarks by our home minister.

Flood management measures have to be planned across administrative and sectoral boundaries. It is not just the BBMP’s responsibility to prepare the ground plan. It is required that institutionalised links among the authorities should facilitate cooperative planning.

This never happens, whether flooding is in New Delhi or Bangalore.

We have been advocating a different look to Bangalore as our metro cannot be put in the same basket as other national metros. Bangalore’s climate is unique and its topography is unlike any other big city. It receives rainfall mostly in the evening, and of late, the city has witnessed moderate to heavy rain. Scientifically, it has been proved that rainfall is always heavy after a dry spell. Flood awareness and urban planning is the strategy in successful flood-risk management. Aspects related to flooding have to form an integral part of urban planning.

It is for this reason we should look at the implementation of multiple-purpose measures to achieve multiple goals — flood mitigation, water supply, space for recreational activities, groundwater recharge and improvement of urban aesthetics.
Experts have spoken about soak pits, percolation tanks and lakes to overcome seasonal flooding. But all these have to be put to practice in an integrated manner.

Year after year, Ejipura residents have been suffering without anybody looking into their flooding complaints because they constitute people from the fringe! But Shantinagar’s residents are in a different league.

They also have the support of their legislator. It is time they came out to help Bangalore. They should champion the cause and make the authorities sit up and take note.