Amid a flood-like situation in Pune due to heavy rains that claimed four lives, Union minister Murlidhar Mohol slammed the civic authorities for failing to alert residents about the release of excess water from the Khadakwasla Dam.
Mohol, who is also the MP of the city, said this was a significant oversight on part of the civic authorities. “All steps are being taken to mitigate the situation; however, one failure of the administration has been that they did not alert the people on time,” he said, adding that he was in touch with the Pune collector and has requested aid from local and state disaster management teams.
Following torrential rainfall, the Khadakwasla Dam started releasing water at the rate of 40,000 cusecs causing the Mutha river to overflow. Low-lying areas such as Deccan, Sinhagad Road, Ekta Nagar and Pulachi Wadi experienced flooding. Water entered many homes in Pulachi Wadi and Ekta Nagar, while on Sinhagad Road water has risen up to chest level at a residential complex with rescue boats being deployed to evacuate residents.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rainfall in the district in the next few hours. Pune collector Suhas Diwase held discussions with sub-divisional officers and tehsildars to review the situation and ordered the district’s disaster management and rescue teams to be on high alert.
The Pune Municipal Corporation was instructed to implement safety measures in areas along the riverbank. Dangerous tourist spots were closed for the next 48 hours with traffic access to streams, drains and bridges blocked.
The Pune district also declared a holiday for schools and colleges due to the severe weather. In Pimpri-Chinchwad, which was also hit hard, the Pavana Dam area recorded a 10 percent increase in water levels after an unprecedented 374 mm rain in the last 12 hours.
Lonavala also experienced record-breaking rainfall with 370 mm recorded in only four hours. The administration issued warnings to tourists, advising them to avoid visiting the area. The relentless downpour caused a landslide in the Tamhini Ghat area near Mulshi, resulting in the closure of the Pune-Kolad highway. Police and administration officials are on-site, working to clear the debris and reopen the road.
In northern Pune, Khed, Ambegaon, Junnar and Shirur talukas witnessed a surge in rainfall since last night, following which schools were closed. Rivers, streams, and drains in these areas are overflowing.
The Veer Dam, located on the Neera river, is now 85 percent full. With good rainfall in the dam’s catchment area, authorities advised nearby villages to stay alert. The dam is expected to release 1,000 cusecs of water into the river and a warning was issued to residents living along the riverbank.
Continuous rainfall and subsequent flooding have put Pune and surrounding areas on high alert. In response to the crisis, Pune’s guardian minister Ajit Pawar took swift action and contacted Diwase to review the flood-like situation and assess the preparedness of rescue and relief operations.
Pawar gave instructions to implement immediate measures to mitigate the impact of flooding on residential areas. Given the heavy rainfall in Khadakwasla and other parts of the district, he directed the administration and disaster management teams to remain alert and provide aid to affected residents. He urged people in Pune city, Pimpri-Chinchwad and the rural areas of the district to take precautions and avoid venturing out unless absolutely necessary.
Baramati MP and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule also criticised the Pune civic body and the authorities. “It’s a failure of Pune civic authorities, who did not alert the residents about heavy rains and their plan to release excess water from the Khadakwasla Dam,” she told News18. She alleged that the Pune civic body, which concentrated more on large projects, should have focused on basic infrastructure to prevent such a situation.
Comments
0 comment