“I will slap you and break your teeth” - This is what Karnataka MLA told IFS officer

An altercation ensued recently between Karnataka MLA Satish Reddy and Deputy Conservator of Forests, Deepika Bajpai.

Pic for representational purpose only - File photo of Karnataka Assembly

Bengaluru: “Don't you have any shame? I will slap you and break your teeth” - This is what Karnataka MLA Satish Reddy is reported to have told recently appointed Deputy Conservator of Forests, Deepika Bajpai.

As per India Today, the incident took place when Deepika reached the spot where the MLA and Manjunath Prasad from Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commisioner, had come to inspect the areas in Bomannhalli and Kodichikkannahalli which had around four feet of water due to heavy rains.

Initially the officer was said to be taken aback but regaining her composure she asked the MLA to mind his language.

"The flooding has taken place due to encroachments in culverts and many lake beds have been illegally encroached upon to built house causing the storm water drains to get blocked," the officer was quoted as saying by the media house.

Reddy supposedly reacted in the way he did as he thought that the DCF has no idea why the flooding took place.

Forest department plant saplings along the lake areas in July and August and were involved in it when rains wrecked havoc.

The BBMP commisioner and the MLA Reddy decided to go to the spot and called Deepika to the affected areas, on which she requested for time to reach Bommanhalli as she was occupied with her seniors on the job.

An altercation ensued between the MLA and Deepika when she reached the spot with Reddy telling the IFS officer that it should have been the first department which should have helped avert the situation.

"We have been fighting against the real estate lobby who have been trying very hard to claim the lake. If we allow them, they will convert the lake into another set of apartments. They have already encroached upon so many of our lakes in the city. We are trying to save our lakes and this flooding has not gone down well with the officials," Deepika was quoted as saying by the media house.

"Since it is the planting season for the forest department at this time, I was in the field and I had told the MLA and the commisioner that as there was no network connectivity, I will return their calls. When I was there with my seniors, he got verbally abusive. He asked me "Maana maryaada ilava? I will slap you for bringing this situation," she added.

Meanwhile, the report said that DCF was planning to file a formal complaint against the MLA for his act.

On the other hand, another BBMP official, was quoted by India Today, on conditions of anonymity, as saying that the real estate lobby were solely responsible for this.

"They claim areas to built houses and flats and later don't even bother to see if the drainage system is in place of not," the official said.

Arekere lake had flowed into the houses of the residents and fishes were seen floating in that water.

Meanwhile, BBMP Commissioner Manjunath Prasad said that there had been several encroachments.

"I will be taking up this issue on war footing, and we will try and see that the areas don't get flooded like this again,” he was quoted as saying.