BBMP to compensate only 156 families in Hulimavu

Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, while inspecting the areas hit by the Hulimavu lake breach in Arakere, vowed to transfer Rs 50,000 compensation to the victims by Tuesday evening.

However, the BBMP’s decision to award just 156 houses washed over by the lake water has raised some questions.

Speaking to reporters after the visit, Yediyurappa said corporators and officials were working hard to bring the situation to normalcy. "So far, 319 houses have been identified as worst-hit, to whom Rs 50,000 will be transferred by RTGS by Tuesday evening,” he said.

He promised the government would build the damaged houses. The BBMP will survey the damages and report it to the government. “We’ll seek the report on the development works needed to be done here,” he said, vowing to launch an investigation against the miscreants who caused the lake breach.

Though initial estimates suggested 800 houses are hit by the flooding, the BBMP said only 319 of them are worst hit and are therefore eligible for Rs 50,000 compensation. Officials on Tuesday brought down that number even further to 156, saying the other houses are high-income.

“We’re going by the norms,” BBMP commissioner BH Anil Kumar told DH. “I’ve already approved the compensation file and it’ll be initiated in the first hour of Wednesday.”

He said only 156 poor households will be compensated. “Those living in the apartments are economically stronger and suffered damage of their vehicles (in the flooding),” the commissioner said.

On Tuesday evening, the BBMP processed Rs 78 lakh compensation money for houses in Krishna Layout. On Monday, assistant revenue officers identified 319 worst-hit houses in six areas around the lake such as BTM 6th Stage (16 houses), R R Layout (102), Avani Sringeri Nagar (12), Saraswathipura (16), Shanthinikethan (20), Krishna Layout (118), Vishweshwara 80’ road (17) and Anugraha Sai Layout (18).

On Tuesday’s survey, AROs included a further 38 houses in Krishna Layout as damaged. “We may add a further 15 houses to the beneficiary list,” said the official. “The remaining 163 houses are high-income and can manage themselves. We’ll do a survey to understand the overall damage in the area.”

However, BBMP opposition party leader questioned the move to compensate victims based on income levels. “The BBMP first said 800 houses are damaged and identified only 319,” Abdul Wajid told DH. “Now they say only 156 are eligible. Who’re they to judge?”

“The damage is caused by BBMP’s negligence and they should compensate every household,” he added.