Bengaluru, May 22 (IANS) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said that it is the government’s responsibility to find a permanent solution to prevent disasters caused by rainwater.

“We will do it,” he said on Thursday while responding to questions from the media in the Vidhana Soudha premises.

Shivakumar is also in charge of the Bengaluru Development and Town Planning portfolio.

When asked about the rainfall havoc and the steps being taken for relief measures, he said, “I am someone who wishes for more rain. The more it rains, the more we understand what needs to be fixed.”

“Recently, a meeting was held under the leadership of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah regarding the Lake Development Authority, and we have also conducted a precautionary meeting. A project worth Rs 2,000 crore has been drawn up to complete the development of stormwater drains in Bengaluru,” Shivakumar stated.

“There is public anger regarding rain-related problems. Therefore, I have directed the Urban Planning Authority to frame regulations prohibiting the construction of basement parking in low-lying areas under any circumstances…In some areas, even if water levels are low, groundwater seeps in, and during dewatering efforts, two people have lost their lives. To prevent such incidents, we have decided to construct roads on both sides of the stormwater drains within the buffer zone. This will ensure a 50-foot-wide safety margin. This initiative will also aid in de-silting the drains and ease public movement,” he added.

When asked about reports that some people refused to meet him during his inspection of rain-affected areas on Wednesday, he said, “Many people met us and even raised their voices against us. I listened to all their grievances. It is natural for people in distress to express anger.

“We are here to listen to and resolve their issues. I will meet them whenever needed. Even if I cannot meet hundreds of people directly, I ensure I meet those who represent them…Some people criticise us, while others appreciate our work. In Bengaluru city, there were 211 spots affected by rain-related issues. Of these, problems in 166 areas have been resolved. Work is still pending in 44 locations, out of which work is underway in 24…The opposition exists only to do politics, and they may continue to do so. We welcome their suggestions,” he said.

Responding to the BJP’s allegation that the Rs 2,000 crore project was not utilised by the state government, he said, “During their time, no relief measures were implemented. Our government is working to complete the stormwater drain project in one go. I want to say one thing to the Leader of Opposition, R. Ashoka — such problems are occurring only in the constituencies of BJP MLAs. These issues are the result of their failure to do proper work during their tenure.”

When asked about criticism that renaming Ramanagara district was just an attempt to increase property value, he said, “Let this matter be discussed in the Cabinet. I will respond to you afterwards.” Further, asked why there were no issues when cities in Uttar Pradesh were renamed, but in Karnataka, there were so many obstacles, he replied, “This is purely political.”.

–IANS

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