More relief for rain-hit Bangalore

BANGALORE: Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, during his tour of the rain-ravaged areas of the city, announced that the compensation amount given to those whose houses had collapsed will be doubled from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. Civic amenities will be provided at any cost, he said.
At Bhadrappa Layout, the CM assured the residents he would look into their problems after being briefed by Yelahanka MLA Krishna Byregowda.He is scheduled to visit New Delhi on September 11 where he will meet the home minister and take up the issue of the rain damage situation in the city.
"Flooding has been the case in parts of the city every year. For the present, we will ensure that the situation is brought under control. But we assure the people that such damage will not occur next year. All the civic amenities will be provided by then," he said.
The CM's visit disrupted traffic all along the way as roads were blocked for his convoy to pass. But in what will come as a relief to commuters who have to invariably bear the brunt of this, the CM said that he and his ministers would undertake night inspection henceforth."We will go on rounds at around 10 pm and 11 pm so as to not disrupt traffic and inspect the works that go on at night," he said.
Even in the midst of massive flooding, the BBMP authorities found time to attack the media. "The exaggerated media reports on flooding have caught the attention of people abroad. I have been getting calls from the US and the UK on whether Bangalore is safe now to visit. The situation is very much under control and the media is blowing things out of proportion,'' a top BBMP honcho remarked recently.
When attention was drawn to the BBMP commissioner's claim that the situation this year was not too bad, Yeddyurappa said the BBMP chief had probably meant that this year there was not much damage to life or property compared to last year.