Bengaluru:
As torrential downpours continue to wreak havoc in Bengaluru, Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said Monday night that the government has decided to release Rs 300 crore to manage the flooding situation in the city.
The prime minister chaired an overnight meeting with senior ministers and officials to take stock of the rain and flood situation in the state, especially the capital, and the damage caused.
The state government has decided to release Rs 600 crore to control the rain and flood situation in the state. To repair damaged infrastructure like roads, electric poles, transformers, schools etc, Rs 300 crore has been kept for Bengaluru alone, Mr Bommai said.
He also pointed out that Rs 664 is already available from deputy commissioners of various districts while individual Rs 500 crore has already been sanctioned for building infrastructure.
A total of Rs 1,500 crore has been allocated for the construction of stormwater drains in Bengaluru, Mr Bommai said, adding that work will begin once the water recedes.
The prime minister said it has been decided to have another State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) company exclusively for Bengaluru and Rs 9.50 crore will be released for boats and other equipment for it.
At the state level, two more companies of the SDRF will be established in the coming days, he added.
Mr Bommai said that from September 1-5, some areas of the city received 150 percent more rain than normal rainfall, while Mahadevapura, Bommanahalli and KR Puram zones received 307% more than normal rain.
This is the highest rainfall in the past 32 years (1992-93), he said, adding that 164 lakes in Bengaluru have flooded with water.
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