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Monsoon preparedness: Flood alarm saver will be a life-saver
Bereaved families say an alarm system tracking the flash floods could have saved at least two lives in the flash floods of 2019. However, nine months since, little has been done to ensure a repeat does not happen
Salim Shaikh and Victor Sangle, both, on September 25, 2019, drove towards the Bairobha nallah bridge linking Camp with Wanowrie. The city was under a torrential downpour. The nallah had burst its banks and the bridge was under water. Neither knew of the scenario. Both drove into the flood. Neither survived. The flash floods of 2019 claimed 26 lives in Pune. Two families, nine months on, believe the lives of Salim and Victor could have been saved
‘Nobody from our family uses the bridge anymore’
Software professional Salim Shaikh was employed with nVidia Software. He was returning home from work on September 25 and drove towards Wanowrie, in his way to NIBM road, where he resided.
Shaikh was unaware the bridge at Wanowrie was engulfed by the overflowing Bairobha nallah, courtesy the 100mm of rain the city had received in two hours; and which had not yet eased.
Shaikh, driving his car, never made it across the bridge.
Salim Shaikh’s body was found in Ahmednagar District, some 95 kms from Pune. Sangale family had searched his body for many days after the incident but with no avail.
The family had received the compensation from district collector’s office on completion of the official procedures.
Taher Shaikh, Salim Shaikh’s brother, said “Ever since the incident, our family has decided not to commute from the Bairobha nallah bridge ever again. None of family members travel via that route. There is a need for strong safety railings at the bridge and there should have been a protective wall at the bridge. After the incident, we expected the government to increase safety standards at the bridge.”
Zakir Khan, a friend of Shaikh, said “We have been demanding that Bairobha nallah be brought under round the clock CCTV surveillance during all seasons and a flood-alert system (automatic) be installed, where an SMS alert is sent directly to the fire brigade and the police. Currently, the bridge is unsafe and needs lot of safety measures to be completed. There are no street lights on the bridge and there is only one light installed at one end of the road which is inadequate.”
‘Every day, we still hope for news’
Victor Sangle was the die-hard survivor. By the age of 26, he had survived cancer. Had had survived an amputation and lived a full life with a prosthetic limb.
Prior to September 25, 2019, he had just returned from a bicycle expedition in Arunachal Pradesh.
On the evening of September 25, he drove in his car from Kalyani nagar, where he stayed, towards Wanowrie. He was going to see his cousins who lived there.
The rain was torrential. Pune had already received 100mm in two hours.
As Sangle drove towards Wanowrie what he did not know was that the Bairobha nallah had breached its banks and a bridge connecting Camp to Wanowrie was under water.
Sangle drove through it and as far as the official records of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Pune fire brigade and the Pune police go, he never made it.
Victor Sangle driving his car, was washed away.
Nine months since, no rescue agency has been unable to recover his body. The search, involving the NDRF and the fire brigade, extended 200 kilometres along the Mula-Mutha river, into which the Bairobha nallah flows.
Prashant Ranpise chief fire officer said, “According to our records, he is still missing. He could not be traced despite the search.”
Sangle’s immediate family declined an interview with HT, but said this much, “Every day, we still hope for news.”
Rajesh Bansode, an extended relative of the Sangle family said that last month a call came in from an unknown person who claimed to have Sangle’s documents, like the Aadhar card.
“However, there has been no response from the said number since. How these unidentified people called the family after such a long time needs investigation, as it is very suspicious. Because of the Covid situation, it became difficult for us to go to the police. The call came in from the Beed district of Maharashtra,” said Bansode.
He went back for the dog... ‘came under the wall and was washed away’
Fifteen-year-old Rohit Amle lived in the Ganga Teerth Society, Tangewala colony, Sahakarnagar. The Ambil Odha (stream) flowed by the society. On September 25, 2019, the Ambil Odha was not flowing; it had burst its banks and caused a flash flood. Rohit Amle was about to get away, when he remembered his pet dog was still in the house. He went back to save the dog. As he was exiting the society, the wall between the odha and the society collapsed .
Rohit Amle and the pet dog, both perished in the flood waters.
Rukmini Shinde (53), Rohit’s is grandmother, recounts the tragic events. “He had been staying with us ever since my daughter passed away. He did not inform us and came under the wall and was washed away. This is indeed tragic and we have received compensation. It was his birthday on June 18. It is a very painful experience we will have to undergo it for our lifetime,” she said.
Rohit was a Class X student of Vidya Vikas School. Swapnil Shinde, his uncle, said, “We have very fond memories to share. Rohit was creative and intelligent. We did not expect that he will be no more with us.”
PCB blames PMC
Amit Kumar, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Pune Cantonment Board (PCB), under whose jurisdiction the Bairobha nallah falls, said “The PMC had committed to make the bridge safe for commuters and it was given permission to carry out the repair and reconstruction work. However, things on the ground are different and the PMC must honour its commitment made to the board. The onus of repairs and other important things lie with the corporation,” he said.
Covid closure for monsoon?
The Bairobha nallah bridge in question has been in and out of quarantine since the Covid-19 pandemic began. Currently it is inaccessible, again, given its proximity to areas under lockdown. With the monsoon here, it may well be that no one will be allowed to access the bridge for some time.
