Pothole kills young girl in Bengaluru but George says 'don't blame the govt'

Bengaluru, May 24: After potholes claimed another life in Bengaluru, a state minister has come up with a shocking response to the tragedy.

“First, learn to ride properly; don't blame potholes for the deaths in the city,” a report in an English daily quoted KJ George, the minister for Bengaluru development and town planning, as saying.

The Karnataka minister was reacting to a road accident in which a 16-year-old girl was killed and potholes were blamed for her death.

As per reports, the girl was riding pillion on a bike and was crushed by a bus after her brother lost control of the vehicle on the Mysore road in Bengaluru which was ridden with potholes.

The report quoted police as saying that the duo were riding a bike when a BMTC bus behind them started honking repeatedly. The boy panicked and lost control after his bike hit a pothole.

The girl, identified as P Savitha, fell on the right and was run over by the bus. She was reportedly not wearing a helmet.

“I condole the death of the girl. It is unfortunate. It feels as if I've lost someone of my own. But how can you blame the government for everything,” the report further quoted KJ George as saying.

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Mangaluru’s ₹1,200 crore fix: Massive sewage overhaul to end city’s drainage woes

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

• Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

• STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

• Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

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