Bengaluru floods: Turned away by BBMP, city resident gets help from US Consulate
- The basement at Meena Gupta's house was flooded, and the water level stood at 4 ft in the recent deluge
- Her pleas to the BBMP and the local MLA were of no help
- Frustrated and distressed, she sought help from US Consulate
- Within two hours, the rescue personnel were at her doorstep
FollowThe BBMP officials who had been long ignoring the distressed calls of a woman about her flooded basement at HSR Layout had to be nudged to rush to her rescue after they received a call from the Prime Minister's office! And, this holds a mirror to the sheer apathy of the BBMP towards its citizens.
It's a harrowing time for Meena Gupta, whenever it rains. The basement in her house at HSR Layout had been flooding, of late. There was no respite from even the mild showers too. But last week (September 27), all hell broke loose, when the water level began to rise to a threatening level - four feet - at her basement.
Her fervent appeal to the BBMP joint commissioner and even the local MLA fell on deaf ears. She kept calling them from 4 am, hoping to receive some solace. With no help in sight, helpless Meena, an Indian-American reportedly made a panic call to the US Consulate, reports Kannada Prabha.
It is reported that the local MLA claimed that even though it was not his responsibility, he would still send someone to help her. Even the BBMP helplines that were set up to deal with the distress calls were of no help. Frustrated with the sheer apathy in the system, Meena was forced to call up the US Consulate. It is reported that the US Consulate took the details from her, who reportedly informed the prime minister's office. And the personnel from the PMO called up the BBMP forcing them to rush help.
And her efforts actually paid off, when the help arrived at her doorstep in just two hours. According to Kannada Prabha, personnel from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and fire department rushed to her house and rescued her family in boats. They also pumped out water from her basement.
Meena returned to India from US ten years ago and had formed the Civic Action Task Force in HSR Layout to address civic issues.
HSR Layout was one of the worst-hit areas in the recent deluge, after Koramangala. People had to be rescued in boats to safer places.
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