Rain havoc continues to haunt Hoysalanagar

For a whole week now, hundreds of houses at Hoyasalanagar remain inundated with rain water, dealing them a double blow, having to clean their dwellings of the dirty water, and worrying about the costs of repairing the damage caused by rain.

The uncleared silt and sewage water that flow into Horamavu lake from nearby residential apartments have worsened their plight.

“Rain water flowed into my house on Friday. All the goods and vessels were damaged due to the stagnant rain water mixed with sewage water. I have lost goods worth around Rs 30,000, including my sewing machine,’’ said Vanitha Stalin, a tailor.

The residents said local MLA Byrathi Basavaraj visited the area and promised to take measures to drain the water that had invaded the houses, but nothing had been done.

“I have been living here for the last 15 years. It is for the first time rain water flowed into my home. Many residential apartments let their sewage into Horamavu Lake.  The silt in the lake was not cleared for many years and it overflowed,’’ said SV Vanamala, a housewife.

Criticising the bad roads and lack of basic amenities, B Sunder Rao, a resident, said four to six cross roads were flooded with rain water, but the BBMP had not done anything.

“Water from Horamavu lake started overflowing on last Friday afternoon. Heavy rains for a few days complicated our problems. We have wade through ankle-deep water to reach the main road. I wish the BBMP at least cleans the slush accumulated on the cross roads,’’ said Rao.

Echoing his sentiments, another resident, N Ramana wanted the BBMP authorities to come out with a permanent solution instead of knee-jerk reactions.

Horamavu ward corporator Tejaswini N Raju said she had advised the residents to vacate the houses to avoid loss and inconvenience during monsoon.

“These houses were constructed many years ago. I advised the residents staying adjacent to Horamavu lake to shift to safer places as soon as I noticed the lake brimming with rain water,’’ said Tejaswini. Assuring a permanent solution and compensation for the rain-affected residents, Tejaswini said she has already explained to BBMP commissioner about the residents’ problems.

“The BBMP commissioner has assured to look into the matter. I want the BWSSB to construct a sewage treatment plant near the lake to avoid lake polluted due to the sewage that flow into it from nearby residential apartments,’’ she said adding that the residents have to cope with the problems for a few more days.