Permanent solution sought to tackle flash floods across Mangaluru

Permanent solution sought to tackle flash floods across Mangaluru

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, August 7, 2022: Corporators from the ruling BJP and  Congress in the opposition, raised issues related to the recent flash floods, and damage caused to several houses in the city, at a monthly general council meeting of the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC)  on Saturday.

Following complaints from corporators, MCC commissioner Akshy Sridhar directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials to conduct a joint inspection along with MCC engineers, and experts from the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), to find a solution to the flooding caused on NH-75, at Kannur, on the outskirts of the city.

 

Corporators Chandravathi and Sudheer Shetty from the BJP, brought to the notice of the chair, that rain for an hour, had inundated the highway at Kannur. Several houses were damaged, after water entered, due to flash floods. Meanwhile, the national highway and a hospital in the ward also witnessed flooding. “A permanent solution needs to be found to the issue immediately,” Chandravathi said.

She added that about 30 houses have been affected due to floods in Kannur. She sought compensation of Rs 50,000, for each of the houses that were affected by flooding in the ward. Officials said that eight houses have been fully damaged (category A), 31 houses have been severely damaged (category B) and 60 houses have been partially damaged (category C), due to rain in the city.

Mayor Premananda Shetty said that the unscientific construction of cross culverts has aggravated floods. The commissioner directed the NHAI officials to seek a technical opinion on resolving the issue.

Meanwhile, corporator Praveenchandra Alva from the Congress brought to the notice of the council, about the lack of service roads that are parallel to national nighways, and streetlights on the NH stretches in the city, especially on the Pumpwell flyover. NHAI officials said that streetlights will be installed within 15 days. Corporator Kiran Kumar from the BJP, demanded a permanent solution to prevent flooding of roads at Kottara Chowki and other parts of the city. He suggested that the city corporation needs to strengthen the walls of rajakaluves (stormwater drains).

Congress corporator Abdul Ravoof pointed out that people are inconvenienced due to delay in the issue of e-khata for properties. In response, the mayor said that the process of e-khata distribution was affected due to server error, for the last 15 to 20 days. The issue was discussed with district-in-charge Secretary V Ponnuraj, at a meeting recently, he said. MCC Commissioner Akshy Sridhar said that a new software for e-khata, which is being introduced on a pilot basis in Mangaluru, is in its trial run phase. Once it is launched, the process will be made easy, he added.

Courtesy: Times of India