Canal encroachments caused overflow leading to damage: PMC chief

PUNE: Municipal commissioner Saurabh Rao, speaking in the light of heavy rain causing the Ambil odha (stream) to overflow on Wednesday night, accepted that encroachments

PUNE: Municipal commissioner Saurabh Rao, speaking in the light of heavy rain causing the Ambil odha (stream) to overflow on Wednesday night, accepted that encroachments and the shrinking of the natural flow of the stream are responsible for the damage caused.

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At least 12 people died and 2,000 vehicles have been damaged as the overflowing stream innundated the underground parking areas of several housing societies in Katraj, Bibvewadi, Padmavati and Sahakarnagar areas.

Rao said, “Heavy rainfall in a short period of time, encroachments and overflowing of the Katraj lake are reasons for flooding in the above areas. Administration’s focus was on the Mula and Mutha river banks, but all of a sudden these new areas have got badly damaged.”

The commissioner said that he visited all the flood affected areas on Thursday and one can easily, prima facie, identify encroachments on the stream obstructing the natural flow. “Some slums are located in the nullah (canal) itself,” Rao said.

Ambil odha starts from Katraj and ends in the Mula river. It passes Katraj, Bibvewadi, Padmavati, Sahakarnagar and Parvati.

The commissioner said that once the relief and rehabilitation work is completed, the PMC will start a drive to remove the encroachments. “There is a need to take a review of all the canals and natural streams in the city,” he said.

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Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) leader Ujwal Keskar said that the municipal administration needs to fix responsibility for floods in Pune city. “Who has changed the direction of canals in city? The Central government had given funds of Rs 200 crore under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission for improving the storm water network in the city. Where has that money gone?” Keskar asked