The Karnataka High Court on Monday stated that the flooding in several parts of Bengaluru last week was due to the failure of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike to remove all encroachments on storm water drains, reported Live Law.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice S Vishwajith Shetty, hearing a plea seeking rejuvenation of lakes in the city, ordered the Karnataka government and the Bengaluru municipal corporation to take immediate steps for removal of the encroachments on storm water drains and to ensure prevention of dumping of all kind of wastes into them.

The petitioners have alleged that encroachments of storm water drains is one of the main causes for flooding of low-laying areas during rainfall, reported The Hindu.

“The city of Bengaluru has faced unprecedented floods and parts of the city were inundated with rainwater,” the court said on Monday. “The aforesaid situation has arisen as the BBMP has failed to perform its statutory duties of removal of encroachments.”

The bench called for immediate action after being informed that the authorities had not complied with an order issued by the court on June 18, 2019, to remove encroachments.

The court also directed the municipal corporation to submit a status report and take steps to ensure prevention of dumping of wastes and other pollutants into the storm water drains.

Parts of Bengaluru were marooned following heavy rains in the IT capital on September 4 and 5. Visuals from the city showed waterlogged roads, flooding inside residential areas, while several persons were evacuated from their homes on boats and tractors.

After an order issued by the Karnataka High Court on July 27, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike had removed 33 out of 81 encroachments on Begur Lake, reported Live Law. Those living on the remaining encroachments had secured an injunction order against removal from a district judge on August 4.

Encroachments in southeast Bengaluru, which witnessed flooding following heavy rain last week, are also being removed by the city’s municipal corporation, reported The Indian Express.

On Tuesday, a demolition drive was conducted on illegal commercial and residential buildings in the Mahadevapura area, according to ANI.

The municipal corporation also listed several residential complexes and IT parks such as Ecospace, Bagamane Tech Park, Epsilon and Divyashree among encroachers of storm water drains.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka said that encroachments in the city will be razed on the lines of the twin towers in Noida, which were demolished on August 28, reported NDTV.

“We will raze illegal constructions on the lines of the Twin Towers demolished recently,” Ashoka said. “We will take action against the builders and officials who had granted permissions.”

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