Hulimavu Lake breach: Over 600 houses damaged, Lokayukta seeks interim report

Over 600 houses have been badly damaged after the Hulimavu Lake breach, which created a flooded situation in the areas, nearby the lake. People claimed that the flash floods were a result of the negligence by the civic administration body.

Thousands of people were left homeless after Hulimavu Lake breached on November 24. Several people lost their valuables and significant property including important documents and vehicles in the lake breach. The breach took place due to an unauthorised pipe-line work by a Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) contractor. The pipeline work had destroyed the lake bund and water gushed into the nearby low-lying areas flooding them.

Lokayukta demands interim report

Karnataka Lokayukta Justice P Vishwanatha Shetty, who visited the breach site on Monday (November 25), has asked the civic agencies including Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) and Karnataka health department to submit an interim report over the cause of breach.

Justice Shetty said that top priority should be given to rehabilitating people affected by the flash floods. "Officers and staff from the civic body should also carry out restoration work in these areas, especially in their homes, with high importance. Sufficient arrangements should be made to ensure children in relief camps are able to attend school without fail," reports The Indian Express.

Lokayukta had planned on rejuvenating Hulimavu Lake based on a complaint of delayed work by freedom fighter and activist HD Doreswamy. It had also asked BBMP to submit a status report of the work earlier this year but was neglected by the civic body.

BBMP commissioner BH Anil Kumar said that a compensation of Rs 10,000 will be immediately given to the families affected by the lake breach. He said that BBMP will coordinate with Food and Civil Supplies, Revenue Department to help provide duplicate documents to those who lost them in the flood.

Civic agencies construct makeshift bund 

As a temporary arrangement, the civic agencies have made a makeshift bund using sandbags and debris to prevent water from further flowing into the residential areas. A 10-feet makeshift bund was constructed on Sunday after the breach and the civic body is planning to increase the bund height as a precautionary measure in the coming days.

Hulimavu police have registered an FIR based on a complaint by BBMP against a contractor and a BWSSB official for the lake breach under sections 431 (mischief by injury to public road, bridge, river or channel) and 432 (causing inundation or obstruction to public drainage attended with damage) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).