Resident of East Bangalore suffering with storm water drains since 15 years
Residents of HBR Layout in East Bangalore continue to struggle with sewage in the storm water drains and when it rains, in their homes.
Mani Shreedharan, a resident of HBR Layout said, “Mosquitoes breed diseases in that sewage and sometimes sewage water enters our houses even though there is just a bit of rain, it looks really disgusting and unhygienic.”
Ramana Gowda, a resident of 5th block in HBR Layout, said, “Our stance on this matter is simple, extend the existing underground drainage (UGD) system from Nagawara Ring Road by an additional kilometer to cover the entire layout. We need proper treatment and disposal of sewage without environmental contamination.”
Vikram Malar Vijay, a leader from the Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party (BNP), said, “In Bangalore, many times sewage water flows into the wrong places like storm drains. Even though people have complained a lot and raised alarms, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) are busy blaming each other instead of working together to fix the problem. This fighting is not helping to make a good and lasting drainage system for the city.”
The residents said they have filed a petition in the High Court of Karnataka, addressing the issue of sewage water entering stormwater drains (SWDs), yet no action have been taken so far.
Vikram Bhatt, Urban Planner said,”The discharge of untreated sewage into stormwater drains poses a significant threat to public health and the environment.”
“The success of this project hinges on the coordinated efforts of the BBMP and BWSSB,” Bhatt added, “Both agencies need to work together to ensure the efficient planning, execution, and maintenance of the drainage system.”
Sudhir.S, the public relations officer at BWSSB, explained that HBR Layout faces a flood risk due to sewage flow from nearby areas. Currently, 185 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage pass through HBR Layout. Of this, 140 MLD is treated at other Sewage Treatment Plants (STP), while the remaining 40 MLD is released into SWD due to a lack of treatment options.
To prevent potential flooding, Sudhir mentioned, “If the sewage isn’t directed into the SWD, there’s a risk of blockages and significant flooding during rain. We’re actively working on it.”
A BBMP official clarified, “We’re not assigning blame, sewage treatment isn’t under our jurisdiction. BWSSB needs an intermediate treatment system in HBR Layout. A 400-MLD STP will be constructed in Hebbal. Excess sewage in HBR Layout will be collected at the Integrated Sewage Pumping Station (ISPS) and pumped to the Hebbal STP for treatment, instead of being released into the SWD directly.”
