Opposition slams Maharashtra’s relief ops, minister’s selfie

Following the floods, the state relief and rehabilitation department issued a government resolution (GR) on August 8, stating it will provide financial assistance of ₹7,500 and ₹5,000 for every family from urban and rural areas respectively for the loss of clothes and household items.

The state’s relief and rescue operation in flood-hit areas has run into several controversies. After being criticised for their delayed response, the state is now facing flak for the unreasonable conditions put in place for financial assistance to affected families. While water resources minister Girish Mahajan, who was in Kolhapur to monitor relief work, was slammed for clicking selfies on a boat, relief and rehabilitation minister Subhash Deshmukh was heckled by a group of affected people in Sangli.

Maharashtra, August 09 (ANI): Minister Girish Mahajan went to Sangli from Kolhapur in a boat to review the flood situation, on Thursday. (ANI Photo)

Following the floods, the state relief and rehabilitation department issued a government resolution (GR) on August 8, stating it will provide financial assistance of ₹7,500 and ₹5,000 for every family from urban and rural areas respectively for the loss of clothes and household items. However, according to the GR, a family or a house will be eligible for the grant only if it was submerged in water for more than two days or washed away or completely damaged. “The order is being issued following the decision taken in the state cabinet meeting held on July 30 and August 7,” the GR stated, adding the financial assistance will be applicable only for those affected in the on-going floods. Another GR, issued on August 7, stated 10kg rice and 10kg wheat will be given to every family if the areas where they reside were submerged in flood water for more than two days.

Congress leaders rapped the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government for its ‘insensitive’ GRs. Vijay Wadettiwar, leader of Opposition in the legislative Assembly, said the state has “rubbed salt on the wounds of the flood affected people”. “First, the state failed to act swiftly to extend relief and now it has issued a GR, making it mandatory to be in a flooded house for at least two days to get the help. It does not include small traders who have lost livelihood in the floods.”

In a clarification to the August 8 GR, chief secretary Ajoy Mehta said, “The GR was in fact amended in 2015 by this government, bringing the norm to two days from eight days. As per the 2014 GR, the families who were affected by floods for a week were only entitled for the aid. In case of the people affected in Kolhapur and Sangli, none of the families have remained in waterlogged houses for less than two days. This means all of them are entitled to the aid.”

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) spokesperson and Mumbai unit president Nawab Malik said Mahajan seems to be busy “touring and taking selfies”. “We had said the state is doing disaster tourism instead of disaster management and Mahajan has proved that. This government is insensitive. People are in big trouble, but their (ministers’) focus is on publicity it seems.”

Reacting to the criticism, Mahajan said, “I have reached a village where relief material could not reach in the past four days. I request all those who were criticising me to come on ground and help people here.”

NCP chief Sharad Pawar will be visiting Satara and Sangli on Saturday. On Friday, senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar visited flood-hit areas in Kolhapur.

Congress has announced that all its MLAs, MLCs and MPs will donate their one-month salary for relief work.