MUMBAI: With rescue operations are over in flood-hit Kolhapur and Sangli, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said his government will seek a relief package of Rs 6,813 crore from the Centre.
An expert committee will be appointed to suggest remedies that be taken in case of 700 per cent rainfall in four days, Fadnavis said.
“The rains were unprecedented. In eight days between August 1 and 9, Pune received 401%, Satara 618%, Sangli 658%, Kolhapur 480% and Solapur received 98% rains. This is twice the downpour compared to 2005,” Fadnavis said.
Fadnavis and all Cabinet ministers on Tuesday decided to donate their one-month salary to the Chief Minister’ Relief Fund.
The amount will be used for providing relief and facilitating rehabilitation of those affected by floods, said an official from the Chief Minister’s Office.
Ministers of State Yogesh Sagar and Vidya Thakur, Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagade were among the first to donate their salaries.
BJP’s Maharashtra unit has decided to adopt flood-hit villages in western Maharashtra and Konkan regions, while state president Chandrakant Patil has asked leaders from the level of sarpanches to MLAs and MLCs to donate their one-month salary or wages.
Likewise, Mumbai Congress leader Milind Deora has appealed to party leaders to donate their one-month salary.
Congress will be sending trucks of relief material in the next few days.
With floodwaters receding in Kolhapur and Sangli the authorities are now focusing on providing essential supplies to those affected. Sangli district collector Abhijit Chaudhari has appealed to people to send relief material in the form of kits of household items needed daily.
The kits should contain utensils, food grains, materials for hygiene, stationery etc. he said.
Heavy rains, says IMD forecast
The IMD has warned of heavy to very heavy rains in Pune, Sangli, Kolhapur in the next 24 hours while Mumbai and Marathwada along with other regions of the state are likely to receive moderate rains.
According to the regional centre of IMD, isolated places in the flood-hit districts of Pune, Kolhapur, and Satara in Maharashtra are likely to get heavy to very rains in the next 48 hours. A similar forecast has also been issued for the coastal Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts.
Prohibitory orders reversed
The Sangli and Kolhapur district administrations have reversed prohibitory orders after a strong public backlash. The orders were imposed in wake of possibility of disturbance during relief operations.
According to the orders, the district administration was wary of fights breaking out between flood-affected villagers and others who may complain of discrimination. Anticipating such clashes the prohibitory orders were imposed between August 12 and August 24.
Yellow warning in Himachal
A yellow warning has been issued for Friday and Saturday in Himachal Pradesh, where several areas are receiving heavy rain, the MeT said. Several parts of the state have received light to heavy rainfall during the last 24 hours.
MeT has forecast rain in the state till August 19, whereas it issued a fresh yellow weather warning for heavy rains on August 16 and August 17. Heavy rains are likely to occur in the plains and low and mid-hills of the state on Friday and Saturday, an official said.