BBMP sets up shelters for rain-affected

BENGALURU: With the weatherman forcasting more rains in the city over the next couple of days, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) authorities have got into the act and are shifting people residing in low-lying areas to nearby schools, colleges, choultries, anganwadi kendras and community halls as a precautionary measure.

The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre (KSNDMC) has predicted moderate to heavy rainfall in the city at least till October 16. “We are anticipating 50 mm of rainfall in Bengaluru,’’ S S M Gavaskar of KSNDMC said on Saturday.

Bengaluru Mayor R Sampath Raj, who has been visiting affected areas like Kurubarahalli near Mahalakshmi Layout and other places since Friday night, told Express that the Met department has forecast heavy rains over the next three to four days. “This  is a warning for people residing in low-lying areas. We are  evacuating people from these places, sending them to nearby BBMP and  government schools and colleges. Also, we have our own BBMP community  halls and other facilities,’’ he said. The mayor also said they are providing food, bedsheets along with medicine for next three to four days till the rain abates.  

BBMP’s Mahalakshmi Layout division Executive Engineer Thimmaras, who has been given charge of making temporary  arrangement, said at Shankarmutt ward, they have taken space a yoga centre and at Manjushree Kalyan Mantapa where together around 500-600 people can be accomodated at a time. “We are providing beds, bedsheets, food and milk to people. In Mahalakshmi Layout ward, we have taken a space at the Rangamandir and an anganwadi centre. If needed, we are ready to take up schools and other places. We are making public announcements that people living in low-lying areas can come to these places for temporary stay.”

BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said facilities have also been provided at a Kalyan Mantapa at Rajarajeshwari Nagar, and steps have been taken to provide three meals a day for 1,500 people. At Kurubarahalli, provisions to arrange food for as many as 6,500 people have been made, he said.