BBMP dumps its own laws down the drain

Y. Maheswara Reddy | NT

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) maintains storm water drains (SWDs) by spending crores of rupees. They are meant to carry rain water to the nearest water body in the city.

The BBMP Storm Water Drains Department is expected to act tough against those letting sewage or waste water into the SWDs, but who will penalize the BBMP for doing the same? There are a few residential quarters on M.M. Road at Cox Town near Frazer Town Traffic Police Station. These residential quarters are maintained by the BBMP.

Some of the quarters have underground drainage facilities. The BBMP has constructed toilets for its employees but has forgotten to connect sewage pipes to the nearest manhole.

“We have been residing here for seven years. We are letting sewage into the drain as this building has no UGD facility. We have already informed ward engineer and assistant executive engineer about the lack of UGD facility,” said a resident working as a supervisor of BBMP’s Solid Waste Management Department.

It is believed the BBMP assistant executive engineer has forgotten to connect sewage pipes of a few residential quarters while connecting the sewage pipe of the ward office to the manhole. “I managed to connect the sewage pipe of our home to the ward office’s sewage pipe. Sewage from other homes is being let into the storm water drain,” said a BBMP employee pleading anonymity.

Expressing disgust and disappointment over the BBMP’s negligence, a traffic police constable at Frazer Town has said the storm water drain with sewage has become a nuisance and nauseating. Frazer Town Traffic Police Inspector Sandeep has said that he would talk to the BBMP authorities to fix the problem.

Meanwhile, BBMP assistant executive engineer Vinod Kumar has said that he assumed office six months ago and does not know about the sewage issue. “No one has complained to me about the sewage problem. I will look into the matter,” he said.