Karnataka HC orders formation of panel for constant monitoring of storm water drains in Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Dec 8: The Karnataka High Court has directed the constitution of a committee that would constantly monitor the storm water drains (SWDs) in Bengaluru particularly during the rainy season.
It said the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) should conduct a detailed hydrological survey and if necessary, acquire land for formation of new SWDs.
The order of a single judge bench of the HC came on a batch of three petitions filed by Avenue Supermarts Ltd which owns the D Mart brand of stores.
The company had challenged three notices issued to it by the BBMP alleging encroachment of SWD on a plot in Ammani Byrathi Khane
Village, KR Puram, Bengaluru where it was undertaking a construction.
The HC quashed the notices after it found that the BBMP did not have any documents to sustain its claim that 9 'guntas' out of the said land was Rajakaluve' (SWD).
The BBMP counsel tried to convince the court that it was in fact Haddigidada Halla' (water course). But, the HC pointed out that even if it was Haddigidada Halla' which was classified as Kharab' land earmarked for public use, it should have been marked as B Kharab' land in records but it was not so.
According to the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964, any piece of open land which cannot be used for farming or cultivation when the land survey was conducted is classified as Kharab land.
Moreover, prior to the plan sanction given to the company for construction, an inspection was carried out by the Chief Engineer of the SWD department of the BBMP which said there was no Rajakaluve' or Water Feed Canal' on the property.
In its judgement on November 23, the bench of Justice Suraj Govindaraj said, "It is for the BBMP to conduct a detailed hydrological survey and survey of all storm water drains in and around the area to ascertain the cause of blockage of water and not to seek to contend that the petitioner has blocked the drain in his property when the records do not indicate the existence of any such drain."
Considering the perennial nature of the problem, the court said, "It would be required that a proper monitoring system of the drains constructed by the BBMP is maintained. The details of the drains are uploaded on the website of the BBMP with maintenance details being uploaded from time to time including the amount of silt accumulated and/or removal of silt from such drains."
Therefore, the HC suggested the formation of a committee for monitoring of SWDs in Bengaluru.
"The Chief Commissioner of the BBMP along with other stakeholders like the Principal Secretary, Revenue Department, Principal Secretary, Urban Development Department, Principal Secretary, Gram Panchayat are directed to look into the matter. The Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka is directed to constitute a committee comprising the above officers and such other officers as he deems fit to have a constant monitoring of the storm water drains more particularly in the rainy season in Bangalore," it said.
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2 Indian nationals part of crew of luxury cruise ship that reported hantavirus outbreak
London (PTI): At least two Indian nationals are part of the crew of the Dutch vessel MV Hondius which reported a hantavirus outbreak with five confirmed cases and three deaths so far, according to the BBC.
The luxury cruise ship, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, began its journey on April 1 from Argentina’s Ushuaia and is expected to arrive in Spain’s Canary Islands on May 10.
About 150 passengers and crew from 28 countries were initially aboard the luxury cruise, but dozens disembarked on the island of St Helena on April 24, according to the report.
Of the 28 nationalities onboard, 38 are from the Philippines, 31 from the UK, 23 from the US, 16 from the Netherlands, 14 from Spain, nine from Germany, six from Canada, and two crew members from India, among others, the BBC reported.
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The World Health Organization said on Thursday that five of the eight suspected hantavirus cases had been confirmed.
A 69-year-old Dutch woman, confirmed to have the virus, has died; her Dutch husband and a German woman were also among the fatalities. Their cases are being investigated.
The UN health agency has said the outbreak is not the start of a pandemic.
Maria van Kerkhove, an infectious disease epidemiologist at WHO, told a news briefing that the situation is not the same as six years ago with Covid-19 because hantavirus spreads through “close, intimate contact”.
Van Kerkhove said “this is not Covid, this is not influenza, it spreads very, very differently”. She said authorities had asked “everyone to wear a mask” on board the MV Hondius.
Those in contact with or caring for suspected cases, she added, should “wear a higher level of personal protective equipment”.
Hantavirus typically spreads from rodents - but in the latest outbreak the transmission between people was documented for the first time, the WHO said.
Meanwhile, health authorities are racing to trace dozens of people who have recently disembarked from the Dutch vessel MV Hondius.
Oceanwide Expedition said 29 passengers, of at least 12 different nationalities, had left the MV Hondius in St Helena, the British Overseas Territory.
It also said the body of one deceased person—now known to be a Dutch man - was taken off the vessel.
Seven of those who left the cruise liner were British nationals.
