Rain havoc in Bengaluru: CM Siddaramaiah orders suspension of official, Lokayukta takes up suo moto case

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday reviewed the preparedness to deal with rains after seven people lost their lives in Bengaluru sending shock waves in the government. Lokayukta too visited a few places and registered a suo moto case in connection with the tragedy and warned of stern action against senior officials.

The CM ordered the suspension of the Greater Bengaluru Authority’s (GBA) executive engineer in charge of the Bowring & Lady Curzon hospital area and ordered notices to the head of the hospital for dereliction of duty.

The CM said about 250 trees have fallen across Bengaluru in the rain and added that he has directed officials to fill potholes, clear debris, prune dangerous tree branches, and desilt stormwater drains to prevent flooding. Expecting heavy rainfall, Siddaramaiah directed all five zonal commissioners to act with a sense of urgency.


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Lokayukta Justice BS Patil and Upa Lokayuktas, Justices KN Phaneendra and B Veerappa visited the site of the tragedy at the Bowring & Lady Curzon hospital and took officials to task for their negligence. The Lokayukta, in a statement, said they will take stern action against senior government officials after a preliminary inquiry.

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The Justices asked the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) top brass to tour Bengaluru and identify old and dilapidated compound walls and rebuild them. They also asked the top officials to tour the entire State and take steps to prevent rain-related disasters.

Rains claimed 10 lives, in all, since Wednesday including seven people in a single incident outside of the Bowring hospital.