Badlapur braces to tackle garbage, diseases

Residents step out after 32 hours to check damage to homes and vehicles, tehsildar begins survey of families affected in rain and flooding.

After a day of rain havoc, Badlapur returned to normalcy on Sunday, with the water receding in most areas, thanks to mild rainfall. While 50,000 people were hit with the heavy rain over the past two days, there was no casualty.

After Saturday’s deluge, residents Rameshwadi, Badlapur are struggling to get back to normalcy. (Rishikesh Choudhary/ Hindustan Times)

On Saturday, 1,052 passengers of Mahalaxmi Express were stranded on waterlogged tracks near Vangani, 70km from Mumbai. Four National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, four columns from the Navy, two military columns, civic officials and local residents worked together to bring the passengers to safety.

The rain had submerged ground floors of many residential societies, leaving most residents stuck for more than 32 hours.

“From Saturday evening, we have been providing food packets to those stranded. Many received help from neighbours or friends, so we focussed on those who really needed the help. We also made provisions for drinking water. We are now focussing on reviving the city, as the floods have left garbage all over the place. From Monday, we will hold medical camps at various spots to curb spread of diseases,” said Prakash Borse, chief officer of Kulgaon Badlapur Municipal Council.

“We were getting calls from friends and relatives to ensure we are safe. With no power supply, we were unable to charge our phones,” said Satish Doiphode, 31, resident of Ramesh wadi.

Submerged in water for hours, most two-wheelers needed repair. Many bikes had to be given to garages or repair shops, “When I went to the local repair shop, I was surprised with the number of vehicles parked there,” he said.

“All we could see around was water. It felt as if we were in the middle of a river. We were worried for senior citizens and children, as in case of medical emergency, there was no way to reach out to anyone,” said Akhilesh Bhusavle, 55, resident of Shani Nagar, Badlapur.

Meanwhile, the tehsildar started a survey of families that were affected after the downpour. All those who have been affected by the flooding will be provided with a certificate stating the same.