Civic bodies can stop all illegal constructions: Shivakumar
Shivakumar has said that the government has given civic bodies powers to stop the construction of any unauthorised and poor-quality buildings
Days after an under-construction building collapsed in Bengaluru killing eight people, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar has said that the government has given civic bodies powers to stop the construction of any unauthorised and poor-quality buildings.
Shivakumar, who is also the Bengaluru development minister, on Saturday said: “The previous government had curtailed the powers of officials to take action against unauthorised construction. Our government has decided to give the powers of stopping unauthorised construction to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), and the Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA). The registration of unauthorised properties will also be stopped. At the same time, we are also focusing on clearing encroachments.”
Chief minister Siddaramaiah held a meeting with district collectors and chief executive Officers (CEOs) on Saturday to address the impact of heavy rainfall. Karnataka received 181 mm of rain from October 1 to 25, marking a 58% increase from the usual rainfall of 114 mm.
Siddaramaiah said that excessive rainfall from June to September had already set the stage for substantial challenges, with the state recording 978 mm, 15% above the usual 852 mm. “We had anticipated heavier-than-normal rains in many parts of the state,” he said.
Flood damage has taken a significant toll on the state’s infrastructure and its people. According to official data, 25 people died, 84 houses have been damaged and 2,077 homes sustained partial damage. A compensation of ₹1.20 lakh per fully damaged house and up to ₹50,000 for partially damaged homes has been ordered, it stated.
Crop damage has also impacted vast areas across the state. Heavy rains have reportedly destroyed 74,993 hectares of agricultural land and 30,941 hectares of horticultural crops. Siddaramaiah assured relief and said that the district collectors have been tasked with completing a joint survey within a week to accurately assess the losses. “A joint survey on crop damage is underway and will be completed in three-four days. Compensation for these losses is imminent,” he said at the meeting.
Karnataka’s reservoirs are nearing full capacity. With a total storage capacity of 895.62 TMC, they currently hold 871.26 TMC, a drastic increase from 505.81 TMC during the same period last year. Siddaramaiah said: “Sufficient funds are in place for flood relief works, with ₹666.96 crore available across district collector and Tahsildar accounts.”
In Bengaluru, which saw its third-highest October rainfall with 275 mm, the CM said that the ongoing efforts to prevent recurring disasters from overflowing waterways. “When I was chief minister previously, I had ordered the clearing of all encroachments on the Raj Canals, but incomplete work has led to repeated flood risks,” he remarked.
Plans to construct retaining walls along 173 km of Bengaluru’s Raj Canals have received in-principle approval from the World Bank, and Siddaramaiah expressed hopes to begin this project early next year. The United Nations has also offered ₹2,000 crore in financial assistance for these projects.
For road and infrastructure repairs in Bengaluru, the CM disclosed that a ₹669 crore proposal is underway, and ₹275 crore has been earmarked by the National Disaster Management Authority for widening bridges and developing lakes. Emergency funds of ₹50 crore are allocated to enhance canal infrastructure around local lakes, while 12,553 km of rural roads and 1,106 minor bridges have been affected by rainfall damage across Karnataka.
Additionally, the state government has implemented new flood management protocols. “We have set up additional control rooms in 63 sub-divisions and eight zones to manage flood responses effectively,” he said.