MUMBAI/NAGPUR: The monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature underway at Nagpur had to be adjourned on Friday due to inundation and power failure in the assembly complex.
Several other parts of the second capital of the state too remain flooded due to heavy downpour. According to IMD sources, Nagpur received over 263.5 mm of rains in six hours of 8.30 in morning on Friday. This led to flooding in several parts of Nagpur which in turn also led to power failures as the switching centers remained submerged. Nagpur airport along with the road leading to it too were flooded.
The civic administration announced holiday for educational institutions on Saturday after the weather forecast that the heavy rains are likely to continue for next 48 hours. Since the switching centre that supplies power to Vidhan Bhavan complex too was flooded, the power supply to Vidhan Bhavan complex was cut for safety purpose. The lack of electricity compelled Speaker Haribhau Bagde to announce adjournment as soon as the House assembled for the day at 10 am. He along with senior officials later also inspected the area to find out the cause of inundation.
Power minister Chandrashekhar Bawakule, who is also the guardian minister for Nagpur district blamed it on unusually heavy rains and clogged drainage lines."This has happened for the first time in my lifetime. Generally, Nagpur never gets flooded, but the down pour was so heavy that all the systems failed," he said.
Premises of bungalows allotted to several ministers as well as the tents for security personnel too remained inundated for major part of the day as the rains hardly receded. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited the central command centre of the municipal corporation to take stock of the situation.BJP's ally Shiv Sena was quick to criticise the government after the adjournment.
"This has happened due to natural calamity as well as lack of planning and management," said Shiv Sena spokesperson and MLC Dr Neelam Gorhe, while former Mumbai Mayor and Shiv Sena chief whip in the legislative assembly Sunil Prabhu said that, "Had this happened in Mumbai, there would have been a barrage of criticism against the Sena-run Mumbai civic body. Everybody would have demanded an inquiry against the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)."
The Shiv Sena had opposed the idea of shifting the monsoon session of the assembly to Nagpur instead of the usual practice of winter session.