Pune district administration issues directions to 1,300 gram panchayats to prevent Malin-like tragedy

The administrative officers for talukas comprising Junnar, Ambegaon, Maval, Mulshi,Bhor and Velha have been directed to take steps in wake of landslides

The district administration has issued directions to 1,300 gram panchayats in Pune asking them to take adequate steps for the safety of villagers residing in valleys and mountainous regions of their jurisdiction to prevent a Malin-like tragedy. The landslide at Malin in Pune’s Ambegaon taluka took place on July 30, 2014 and claimed 151 lives. Several villagers had to be evacuated to safe locations.

Landslide on railway tracks near Anjani, Khed on Thursday. (Anil Phalke/HT PHOTO)

The administrative officers for talukas comprising Junnar, Ambegaon, Maval, Mulshi,Bhor and Velha have been directed to take steps in wake of landslides and rain related accidents taking place in the district. The district administration has asked the Zilla Parishad administration to conduct a survey of landslide-prone areas including buildings and residences and move the villagers to safe areas during the monsoon period.

Pune Zilla Parishad CEO Ayush Prasad said, “ The directions have been issued to gram sevak and talathis of all the gram panchayats to carry out immediate survey of dilapidated houses, public residential houses which are prone to landslides. All the necessary steps have been taken to alleviate the suffering of the villagers as part of the disaster management plan of the district administration,” he said.

A disaster management and policy plan for rehabilitation prepared by the state government in the aftermath of Malin tragedy still remains on paper.The policy plan prepared under the guidance of district disaster management authorities with the help of private agencies including the geological survey of India identified the landslide-prone areas and stressed on the need to shift people out of those villages to avoid their evacuation every monsoon.