Rajakaluve funds go down the drain!

Ahna Prakash | NT

Bengaluru

In the backdrop of devastating floods that exposed the city’s poor drain network, activists and political parties have attacked the government for not implementing schemes and funds released years ago to improve the condition of rajakaluves in the city.

Many of these large storm water drains that were meant to carry rain water from residential areas to nearby lakes have been encroached upon and hence their carrying capacity has significantly diminished. When the city recently got pounded by heavy rains, the rajakaluves soon began to overflow, leading to flooding in nearby areas. Mahadevapura zone was one of the worst affected by the floods.

Citizen activist Kamran claimed that the government launched schemes three years ago, but there is nothing to prove how much work has been done for the rajakaluves. “Funds for rajakaluves were announced in 2020 and the projects were inaugurated by Mahadevapura MLA Arvind Limbavali. But as of now, no work has happened. Also, they don’t have anything to show about how much work was done and where. Even after all this they tell us not to say that the MLA and Corporators are corrupt,” said Kamran.

Ashok Mrityunjaya, Aam Aadmi Party President of Mahadevapura Constituency, demanded that Limbavali should give an answer to the fact that despite the construction of the rajakaluves worth Rs 14.95 crore in Mahadevapura Constituency, many parts of the constituency were submerged.

Speaking live on Facebook, Ashok Mrityunjaya said, “In 2020, MLA Arvind Limbavali launched many rajakaluve works worth Rs 14.95 crore. Due to this, in just two years, many roads of the constituency have been submerged and water has entered the houses. The question of whose pocket the crores of rupees released for the works is troubling the people of the field. Limbavali has to answer this,” he said.

He also added that the quality of rajakaluve works in the last two years under the leadership of Limbavali is very poor. “Even though the royal canals are encroached in most places, MLA Limbavali has shown ignorance. The common man has the right to know what kind of agreement was made between the influential people who have occupied the rajakaluve and MLA Limbavali,” he added.

Activists have also claimed that Rs 9 crore was given for the development of the rajakaluve from Yamalur Kodi, Rs 1 crore for the development of the rajakaluve near Chaulakere Kodi, Rs 1 crore for the development of the rajakaluve near Chaitanya School Road, and a total of Rs 14.95 crore were given for 12 projects.