flooding in bangalore

Karnataka usually receives southwest monsoon from June to September, and then the northeast monsoon from October to December. Any depression in the Arabian Sea or the Bay of Bengal can also cause additional rainfall. But in the recent past, rainfall patterns have been inconsistent and we are seeing a higher number of extreme rainfall events. Rains this year have thrown life out of gear in many parts of the State, including Bengaluru. This calendar year, Bengaluru Urban district has received rainfall of 1128 mm to date. This is an excess of over 30% of the normal annual rainfall of 843…

Rains this year caused extensive damage in some areas. Pic: BBMP Commissioner/Facebook Towards October end, we saw heavy rains in different parts of Bengaluru – predominantly in the south and southwest – which led to flooding of many low-lying areas. Those rains have now given way to pleasant sunny days with partly-cloudy skies. It almost feels like winter is here.  How have the rains been this year? Flooding episodes in the last few months seem to indicate rains were in excess, but were they?  Rainfall was indeed in excess, but also erratic  The Long Period Average(LPA) annual rainfall for Bengaluru is 986mm…

Mini transfer stations to process waste To strengthen decentralised waste collection, BBMP will set up 50 mini transfer stations. Waste collected by auto-tippers and push carts, instead of being loaded onto compactor trucks, will be brought to the mini transfer stations. The stations will process waste from two wards each. According to BBMP, this system will reduce garbage transfer points as well as black spots in the city. It will also ensure there is no leakage of garbage residue from compactor trucks. Besides, fewer garbage vehicles will be required, which in turn will reduce air pollution. Only four waste processing…

2021 deadline for 100% waste segregation, collection The state government approved a new SWM (Solid Waste Management) policy and strategy, which sets 2021 as the deadline for segregation of waste at source and for 100% door-to-door collection, as well as laying out guidelines to protect the health and dignity of pourakarmikas. The Karnataka State Urban SWM Policy-2020 lays out a road map for Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), including BBMP, to implement time-bound measures. The burning of waste should be stopped by December 2021 and ULBs should ensure that less than 30% of their waste reaches landfills. ULBs should also ensure…

BBMP Council's term ends, administrator appointed On Thursday, state government appointed IAS officer Gaurav Gupta as the administrator of BBMP, since the five-year term of the BBMP Council ended. Gaurav Gupta is the Principal Secretary of Commerce and Industries Department, and has taken additional charge as BBMP administrator. He will take decisions related to the city until the new Council is formed. Former corporators alleged that the administrator's appointment was a clear sign that the government wanted to avoid the election, and that it's a violation of the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act. State government had cited the pandemic as well…

The first part of this series looked at how Bengaluru expanded it self over the years, and how it has affected urban flood scenario in the city. This part explores how the surface water bodies have diminished and its effect on the flood scenario of Bengaluru city. By now you would know that Majestic bus station was a lake once - Dharmambudhi lake. And that Bengaluru was a land of lakes once. What changed this, and why? In a city like Bengaluru, lakes assume special importance. They provide lung space, groundwater recharge, biodiversity and recreational activities like boating and fishing.…

In July 2005, when 900 mm of monsoonal rains hammered Mumbai for a 24-hour period and wreaked havoc on the city’s infrastructure and housing, political leaders in Karnataka reassured us that Bengaluru was immune to flooding given its inland location some 3,000 ft above sea-level on the Deccan Plateau. Those assurances proved foolhardy. In October that year, over half of Bengaluru’s road network was inundated and thousands of homes and commercial establishments damaged following four days of unusually strong monsoonal rainfall. Floods in Bengaluru during October 2005, in Bommanahalli area. Pic: Champaka Rajagopal Ten years later, Chennai continues to reel…

Flooding that took place in PES campus recently. Pic: Sent by a reader. Bangalore, with its burgeoning population, faces the challenge of providing decent housing for all. Sensing the opportunity, many builders have forayed into the field, with various real estate projects all over the city and the outskirts. LIST OF PROJECTS OR ACTIVITIES REQUIRING PRIOR ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE        1     Mining, extraction of natural resources and power generation (for a specified production capacity) Mining of minerals Offshore and onshore oil and gas exploration and development and production River Valley projects Thermal Power plants Nuclear power projects and processing of…