Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru Jun 1: Mayor Bhaskar Moily blamed National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) officials for negligence in their work which resulted in water flooding the city during the recent rains.

He was addressing a press meet in city on Friday, June 1.

“NHAI officials need to be blamed for their negligence in their work at Kottara Chowki and Padil which resulted in heavy flooding in these areas. NHAI officials are not responding to our complaints and they are out of reach,” he added.

“MCC needs to coordinate and sort out the reasons for the bad work and its impact during work. Deputy Commissioner has formed a committee led by MUDA commissioner. Survey is under process and report will be submitted soon,” he said.

"The torrential rains that lashed out in city damaged 34 houses and caused loss to the tune of Rs 41.38 lac within the Mangaluru City Corporation limits,” he informed.

"Mangaluru city had recorded 215 mm of rainfall which resulted in water. Prior to the rain, we had cleaned all the drainages, removed the wastage, so that water could flow smoothly. But due to continuous rainfall, waste materials got struck in the drainage and they was no way out for the water to flow which resulted water logging in the city,” he said.

"As per the direction of Deputy Commissioner, MCC officials swung in to action to rescue people. We received extraordinary support from the local people, police department, fire service, revenue and forest department. We tried our best to bring the situation under control. The water could not join the river and there was reverse flow due to high tide,” he added.

"Our team was continuously at work carrying out rescue operations and we officials were monitoring the situations from our control room. I have directed concerned officials to distribute necessary compensation for the damage,” he concluded.

Deputy mayor Mohammed, chief whip of MCC Shashidhar Hegde, corporators Naveen D’Souza, Praveen Chandra Alva and others were present.