Keep politics aside in times of crisis, 63 dead in monsoon-related incidents from July 1 to 8: Maha Minister
Mumbai, July 9
At least 63 people have lost their lives and 78 others have been injured in heavy rains and various monsoon-related incidents across Maharashtra between June 1 and July 8, government officials said on Thursday.
A financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each has been distributed to the families of the deceased as per official criteria, said Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan in the Legislative Assembly.
Replying to a short-duration discussion raised by the Opposition, Minister Mahajan provided a breakdown of the casualties, including Wall collapses: 25 deaths, Lightning strikes: 23 deaths, Landslides: 6 deaths, Tree falls: 6 deaths And Drowned in floods: 3 deaths.
Additionally, 200 cattle have perished and 10 have been injured during this period.
Defending the state government's response, Minister Mahajan asserted that there has been no lapse in disaster management.
"I have been personally touring various affected districts for the last five days. When the state faces a crisis, we must stand together. It is crucial to put politics aside when the public is in distress," the Minister urged the Opposition.
Referring to the recent tragedy at a garbage depot in Pune, Minister Mahajan said that the accident was triggered by a 47-year-old accumulated dump.
The area witnessed a staggering 635 mm of rainfall within just a day-and-a-half, causing the massive dump to collapse onto a building constructed about a year ago.
He updated the Assembly House that 23 people were trapped under the debris, and rescue operations are actively underway.
The Minister noted that Maharashtra is currently dealing with anomalous weather patterns, where a month's worth of rain is dumping down within a matter of days.
This has led to flooded roads, waterlogging in homes, and forced evacuations across several cities.
To assist those displaced, the state government has provided ration kits containing supplies enough for 15 days.
In Palghar district alone, relief material has been distributed to 1,000 citizens.
The disaster management department has allocated Rs 1 crore each to seven heavily affected districts, Minister Mahajan said.
Addressing the situation in the Vasai-Virar region, Minister Mahajan acknowledged that flooding has severely disrupted power supply and mobile connectivity.
He said that discussions have been held with telecom companies, and both electricity and communication networks will be restored on a war footing as soon as the water recedes.
Minister Mahajan also hit back at Opposition's allegations regarding the 'Missing Link' project on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, where critics claimed that Rs 7,000 crore had "gone down the drain" due to rain damage.
"The project has suffered no damage whatsoever. Such allegations are being made solely to defame the government," he clarified.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The amount of rain in such a short time is unprecedented, I'll give them that. But 635 mm in 36 hours? That's almost a month's rain! The government distributing ration kits and giving Rs 1 crore to affected districts is good, but why are we still seeing wall collapses and tree falls killing people? We need stricter enforcement of building bylaws and tree maintenance. Politics aside, we need action.
As someone from Palghar, I can confirm the relief material has reached some areas, but not all. The power and mobile connectivity disruption in Vasai-Virar is a nightmare—people can't even call for help. I hope the Minister's assurance about restoring these on a "war footing" actually happens. Let's see how quickly things improve once the water recedes. 🙏
I live in Mumbai and the flooding was terrifying. I read that 23 people are still trapped under the garbage dump debris—that's terrible. The Minister says no lapse in disaster management, but when a dump collapses because it wasn't properly managed for 47 years, you have to question that. We need accountability, not just assurance.
The Opposition has a point about the 'Missing Link' project—with Rs 7,000 crore at stake, the public deserves clarity. That said, in times like this, finger-pointing doesn't help the people who've lost their homes or loved ones. I hope all parties come together for relief efforts. Nature is showing us who's boss. 🌧️
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.