Encroachment of nullahs main reason for flooding: PMC site report

Additional commissioner Ravindra Binawade has instructed the building permission department to file a status report

After a Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) site report of different flooding spots in Pune revealed that most areas got flooded due to the dumping of debris and illegal constructions in, over and around nullahs, additional commissioner Ravindra Binawade has instructed the building permission department to file a status report on how permissions were granted for such constructions in the first place.

PMC report states that floods were caused due to the dumping of debris and illegal constructions in, over and around nullahs (HT FILE PHOTO)

Binawade said, “During my site visit, it has come to our notice that encroachment of nullahs is one of the main reasons behind the massive and intense flooding which took place on September 11. We have issued directions to the building permission department to submit a report to us at the earliest.”

“We have asked the road and drainage departments to immediately clear the areas that have witnessed accumulation of rainwater, and also asked them to keep a standby action plan ready to tackle future stormwater clogging- and rainwater accumulation- related incidents. Also, instructions have been issued to all the regional ward office deputy commissioners to prepare a status report on the flooding in their respective areas. A short- and long-term action plan will be readied once we receive all the reports from the respective departments,” Binawade said.

Additional commissioners Binawade, Dr Kunal Khemnar and Vilas Kanade carried out extensive surveys of flood-hit areas on Monday. On Tuesday, an emergency meeting was held with the heads of the building permission, road and drainage departments over the serious nature of suburban flooding, and directions were issued to the building permission department to get into action mode for preparation of the report and mitigation of the crisis.

According to civic activists however, there was no coordination between the disaster management cell and ward offices including lack of supervision by PMC senior administrative officials which in turn led to poor response to citizens’ flood-related grievances.

Qaneez Sukhrani, convener, Association of Nagar Road Citizens’ Forum, said, “Not clearing the debris on Nagar road which flowed into and blocked stormwater drains has been the cause of flooding on Ahmednagar road and other areas of the city. Pune city has been ranked second by the union government in terms of its liveability but the situation on ground is completely the opposite. We are going to pull up the government authorities for their inept handling of the situation.”

Preliminary findings

Most of the suburbs were flooded as water came gushing down from hilltops

Nullahs disappearing even before they meet the Mutha river

Many encroachments on nullahs at multiple spots

In some areas, nullahs have reduced in sized with rampant dumping of debris

Flood situation in the city was absolutely grim