Karnataka gears up to tackle heavy rains, Dy CM Shivakumar directs deputy commissioners to take action

As heavy rains lashed parts of Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has assured citizens that the government is fully prepared to address any emergencies.

Speaking to the media on Friday, Shivakumar outlined the proactive measures being taken by the state to manage the situation and told the media that all deputy commissioners have been asked to take the required action, and state ministers will be at their headquarters to look over the situation.

"We have called all the deputy commissioners and asked them to take action. For emergency cases, we have authorised all the deputy commissioners and the officers to be alert. After the meeting, all the Ministers must be in their headquarters and help the people because we can't avoid nature...," he said.

In Bengaluru, the state's capital and one of the most affected areas, Shivakumar confirmed that sensitive and flood-prone zones have already been identified.

"In Bengaluru, we have already pinpointed (sensitive) places. My team is in full action," he said.

Earlier, DK Shivakumar said on Thursday that he instructed officials to clear all encroachments under the Disaster Management Act to ensure the smooth flow of rainwater.

Speaking to reporters after inspecting storm water drains at Manyata Tech Park, he said, "Officials have been instructed to clear all buildings that obstruct the smooth flow of rain water in the city.

Action will be taken under the Disaster Management Act."

"The CM and I have already visited the rain-affected areas. This is an important junction, and any issues here result in problems in other areas. Some people have brought a stay from the court to stop encroachments, and our officials are also not cooperating.

Hence, we have asked officials to clear encroachments under the Disaster Management Act," he said.

"We are not keen to take away anyone's property and give them trouble. I am visiting the problem spots myself to verify. Everyone has agreed to allow the works to continue. But it is important to find a permanent solution.

We don't want to demolish any random building, but it is important to ensure that rainwater flows smoothly without causing a flood.

We can't allow Bengaluru's reputation to go down the drain. We will compensate the building owners if there are technical issues, but we want the issues to be sorted out. We have given complete authority to the Commissioner and the Secretary to take necessary action in this regard," he added.