Mumbai, August 2
Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, who paid a visit to the flood-hit residents of Mumbai and Thane, was heckled by people who complained that relief did not reach them even eight days after last week’s deluge destroyed their homes.
As residents screamed and yelled at Mr Deshmukh and other elected representatives, the Chief Minister promised speedy relief, including special food rations. He said the government would also speedily restore power lines that were damaged in the rains.
Today was a dry day in most parts of Mumbai and its environs. According to weather bureau officials, most of the day today was dry. Train and bus services were restored and the Western and Eastern Express Highway was restored to passenger traffic.
However, Badlapur in Thane district near Mumbai received a record 1,096 mm of rainfall in the 24-hour period. The administration has rushed supplies and has begun evacuating people. State police officials say the ground floors of most buildings are still submerged and lifeboats were used to remove people to safer places.
In some places like Kalina and Santa Cruz, people continued to be marooned as the authorities rushed water and food to them by boats.
State government officials say they are in touch with Reliance Energy to get the private utility restore power to these places. However, REL officials say, the record rainfall has damaged power transmission equipment. “Power can be restored only after the entire area is drained of water to prevent people from getting electrocuted,” a company official said.
While residents in some of the areas gheraoed REL officials, prominent citizens in the same area called up Reliance Energy and warned the company against restoring power in a hurry, sources said.
Meanwhile, heavy rains continue in other parts of Maharashtra.
The administration has sounded a high alert in the districts of Vidarbha as several rivers have risen above the danger mark.
About 57,000 cusecs of excess water released by Sanjay Sarovar Dam in Balaghat district for over 24 hours made the water levels cross the danger mark on important rivers like the Wagh, the Bawanthadi and the Vainganga.
The authorities have reported an outbreak of waterborne diseases in some of the flood-hit areas of Maharashtra. So far about 300 cases of cholera, gastroenteritis and dysentry have been reported and the authorities have rushed in medical teams. Health authorities here say the danger of an epidemic continues to haunt Mumbai since bodies of human beings and animals have still not been cleared in many places.
