‘There is no reason for you to panic’

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said the state has begun to act on critical flood-prevention recommendations and there is no reason to panic every time it rains hard.

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said the state has begun to act on critical flood-prevention recommendations and there is no reason to panic every time it rains hard.

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After the 26/7 deluge, the state government promised things would improve. Then why does Mumbai still get flooded, even with 170 mm of rain?

When it rains beyond a point, no city can save itself from floods. What’s important is how fast the city returns to normal. We are doing better on that front. Though it flooded on July 14, things were back to normal by the end of the day.

People panic every time it rains. They don’t trust the government.

There is no reason to panic. As I said, our means to tackle the situation are lot better than before. Often, it is the media that creates the panic.

In the last 34 years, there were six reports, but problems persist.

In the last two or three years, a lot of work has been taken up to improve infrastructure to tackle floods. This kind of money and effort were never put in earlier. Look at the Mithi river widening, the setting up of pumping stations and Brimstowad. I am not saying that what is being done is enough, there’s always a room for improvement.

Too much construction is a problem. Policies will be reviewed if needed.