Bengaluru: N R Ramesh, BJP Bangalore South district president, has snapped back at Mohandas Pai, senior information technology industrialist, saying in an open letter that the IT industry was equally answerable for the floods tormenting the state capital.

Ramesh wrote to Pai that IT/BT companies as well as Tech Parks in Bengaluru had contributed immensely to the mess that several parts of the city are currently in.

The open letter was written in the backdrop of Pai’s accusation that poor administration, an ineffective government, and high levels of corruption had resulted in the public works being of low quality and the rise of illegal construction in Bengaluru. All these factors, coupled with a lack of urban reforms, had made way for the floods due to the heavy downpour in the city, he had stated. Pai had launched the 'Save Bengaluru campaign' and tweeted about the failure of the Central and state governments and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

Ramesh has told Mohandas Pai, “You have, however, preferred to maintain silence on the contribution of the IT/BT sector to the current situation… IT companies that are members of the Outer Ring Road Companies Association and the Electronics City Industries Association and Tech Parks in the ITPL area of Mahadevapura had encroached upon stormwater drains (rajakaluve) and the buffer zones while constructing their buildings. You seem to have forgotten this.”

The district president, further, said that the companies in Electronic City had merely received all sorts of benefits of the system, but failed to pay Rs 350 crore to Rs 400 crore as property tax to BBMP.

He also pointed out, “Earlier administrations and officers had supported the IT companies in the latters’ works and remained silent during encroachment, which also made way for the floods in the region.”

Ramesh accused the industrialist of trying to blemish the stature of a historic city like Bengaluru by focusing on only the current administration and saying the system has failed in its duties. 

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Bengaluru, May 10 (PTI): Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has banned the slaughter of animals and sale of meat in the city on May 12 in view of Buddha Purnima, officials said on Saturday.

The order was issued by the Joint Director of Animal Husbandry in Bengaluru on May 9.

Buddha Purnima marks the birthday of Gautam Buddha.

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