Maha to review flood lines, come up with policy on urban flooding: CM
Besides Ekta Nagar, Shinde toured areas around Khadakwasla dam and Sangavi in Pimpri-Chinchwad and interacted with flood-hit citizens
Chief minister Eknath Shinde on Monday inspected the flood-affected areas of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad and assured that the state government will review flood lines (blue lines) and come up with a policy to address urban flooding.
“Urban flooding is the new challenge. The Maharashtra government will come up with a policy to address issues related to flooding and will carry out proper management to mitigate the problem of constant flooding. I request you to cooperate with the local administration,” Shinde said at Ekta Nagar on Sinhgad Road which was among the areas worst hit by flooding.
Besides Ekta Nagar, Shinde toured areas around Khadakwasla dam and Sangavi in Pimpri-Chinchwad and interacted with flood-hit citizens. Shinde said that the state government will review the blue (flood) line - which marks the level of flooding over a 25-year-period - in order to ensure that no construction is carried out in riverbeds. The CM’s remarks came amid reports of construction in the proximity of the Mula and Mutha rivers. Low-lying areas along these rivers were flooded on Sunday (and last month) after water was discharged from the Khadakwasla dam due to heavy rain in the catchment areas.
After inspecting the flood-affected areas and interacting with the citizens, Shinde visited Khadakwasla dam to review the water discharge from the reservoir. He also held a meeting with the district administration and Pune police to assess the situation following the flooding on Sunday.
In Shivajinagar, the CM said, “The administration is providing temporary relief to the people affected by flooding but the government is also committed to chalking out a new policy and will provide long-term solutions. We will carry out proper management to mitigate the problem of constant flooding. I request you to cooperate with the local administration.”
The Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and civic administration have deployed teams in low-lying areas to tackle any eventualities.
After reviewing the situation, Shinde told reporters that instructions have been issued to take action against those who dump debris and other construction material in the Mutha river. About the riverfront development project in Pune which the Shiv Sena (UBT) criticised, Shinde said that instructions have been given to the civic administration to ensure that the ongoing project does not obstruct the flow of water. “I will once again review whether the instructions are being followed,” he said. The CM added that developmental projects should proceed keeping in mind the people’s interests. He said that the government will think about erecting houses for the flood affected people and accordingly make amendments in the Development Control Rules. Later, Shinde visited the Sangavi area in Pimpri-Chinchwad and met the flood-affected people there. He instructed Pune municipal commissioner Bhosale to carry out rehabilitation and drainage cleaning works in the flood-hit areas immediately.