Maharashtra floods: CM to seek financial help from the Centre

At least 239 villages in Kolhapur and 90 in Sangli are among the worst-hit, with thousands more still stranded. The number of the NDRF teams involved in rescue operations in the two districts has reached 31, besides 26 teams from Navy, 11 Coast Guards and 8 Army teams of 40 personnel.

As the flood fury continued in western Maharashtra for the fifth day, 2,52,813 residents of Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara have been shifted to safer areas. Twenty-nine people have died, while crops on more than 1 lakh hectares, worth at least ₹200 crore, have been lost. The loss of infrastructure in terms of schools, electricity supply machinery and livestock is expected to run into hundreds of crores of rupees.

As the flood fury continued in western Maharashtra for the fifth day, 2,52,813 residents of Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara have been shifted to safer areas. (PTI)

At least 239 villages in Kolhapur and 90 in Sangli are among the worst-hit, with thousands more still stranded. The number of the NDRF teams involved in rescue operations in the two districts has reached 31, besides 26 teams from Navy, 11 Coast Guards and 8 Army teams of 40 personnel.

The Maharashtra government is likely to demand ₹800 crore from the Centre towards loss of crop and restoration of facilities.

With the rise in discharge of water from Almatti dam in Karnataka, the state is expecting floodwater level in Sangli and Kolhapur to recede quickly. The relief work, too, is being expedited.

According to an official from the Mantralaya, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday morning and requested him for financial assistance. “After the CM spoke to his Karnataka counterpart BS Yediyurappa and central ministers over the past three days, discharge of water from Almatti dam increased to 4.50 lakh cusecs on Friday afternoon,” he said.

In five districts of western Maharashtra, 29 people have been killed over the past few days due to flooding, while 11 people are still missing. Sangli has recorded 11 deaths, Pune six, Kolhapur four, Satara seven and Solapur one. The death toll due to the heavy rain since onset of monsoon on June 1, has reached 144.

“We have asked all our departments including public works, public health, irrigation, power supply to be ready with man and material to restore the affected services. The national and state highways and bridges will be operational for traffic only after their inspection. Similarly, adequate stock of tablets of paracetamol and vials of anti-snake venom have been kept ready to fight outbreak of any epidemic,” said Ajoy Mehta, chief secretary of Maharashtra.

Mehta said the administration has released for ₹154 crore to the district collectorates to ensure immediate relief to the flood-affected people in terms of ex-gratia. He said the state has started preparing memorandum to demand financial assistance from the Centre. According to preliminary estimates, crops on about 1 lakh hectares have been destroyed. “Panchnamas for loss of crop, livestock will be conducted when the water recedes. Based on the preliminary estimates, we are preparing the memorandum, which will be submitted to the Centre in the next two-three days,” he said.

Mehta said many people are still stranded in flood, while many have refused to leave their homes despite heavy waterlogging around them. “There has been excessive rain in Sangli, Satara and Kolhapur for the past four days. It was 223% of average rainfall in Sangli, 181% in Satara and 124% in Kolhapur. The state administration has done its best by mobilising all possible sources for the rescue of the affected people,” he said.

The Pune-Bengaluru national highway and some of the state highways are still shut for vehicular traffic. This has affected the supply of petrol, diesel and cylinders to the affected districts and supply of vegetables, milk from these districts.

The Centre has reportedly agreed in-principle for immediate relief.