Mangaluru City Corporation study to find solution to issue of artificial floods

MANGALURU: The recent instances of artificial flooding in the city, has prompted the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) to conduct a study. The main objective is to find reasons for the floods, and chalk out plans to find permanent solutions. The recent heavy rain had led to flooding in many places, mainly due to the lack of proper stormwater drains. Mayor Premanand Shetty sought opinions from corporators in this regard, and agreed to take up measures.
Further, the city corporation has also prepared an action plan, to take up immediate works to restore roads, stormwater drains and walls that were damaged due to rain recently.
Shetty said that the city has received heavy rain in the past 10 days, and several areas witnessed artificial flooding, landslips, and damage to walls of large stormwater drains and roads. Several houses were also damaged due to the heavy rain. Officials of the MCC have already prepared a preliminary action plan to restore all damaged infrastructure. Further, the action plan was also discussed with corporators of the respective wards, and requested them to include works that are not mentioned in it. A final proposal will be submitted to the district administration, seeking sanctions under the natural disaster management fund, the mayor said. “Corporators have suggested that a comprehensive study needs to be conducted, to ascertain the reason for artificial flooding in the city. Further, they have also requested that measures should be taken to prevent such instances in the city in future. Suitable action in this regard will be taken,” the mayor said.
Officials have been directed to take up desilting work for all major and minor stormwater drains immediately, to prevent flooding in the city. “Officials have been directed to take up works in coordination with corporators of the respective wards. Officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), railways, departments of forest and fire and emergency services will be invited for the next general meeting of the MCC council, to discuss various development works that are being taken up in the city unscientifically,” he said.