IN SEARCH OF WATER: The rain god may have relented in Mumbai but the people face a flood of problems. Here, residents of the Indian Airlines Staff Colony carry drinking water, symbolising self-help is best help. The Government machinery initially failed to rise to the occasion and Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has admitted that they have "learnt a good lesson." Authorities are now restoring transport and communication networks and workers have begun a massive clean-up operation in the metropolis. — Photo: Paul Noronha

MUMBAI: : The intensity of the rains in Mumbai and the rest of Maharashtra dropped today from "very heavy to heavy and moderate," much to the relief of the State.

However, the danger of floods continued to loom large over most of western Maharashtra as reservoirs in districts remained filled to the brim.

Tulsi, Upper Vaitarna, Kamshet, Radhasagar, Vasgaon and Surya reservoirs are filled to capacity. Veera, Koyana, Jayakwadi, Pench, Bhatsa, Palkhed, Ujni, Warna are filled up to 80 to 97 per cent.

The reservoirs are the source of worry since further rainfall in the catchment areas of the rivers could lead to fresh floods as the dams would not be able to hold more water.

This is true particularly in case of the Koyana for Mahabaleshwar has continued to receive very heavy rainfall.

The Koyana, Krishna and Warna rivers' inter-linked system remained somewhat under control now because of the release of 3.75 cusecs of water on Monday, said Rehabilitation Relief Minister, Patangrao Kadam.

Villages isolated

Mr. Kadam, who toured Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur districts of the sugar belt on Monday, said that a number of villages in these districts had turned islands and were difficult to approach. About 220 villages in Pune, 50 in Kolhapur and 12 in Sangli were cut off.

Meanwhile, the death toll in the State rose to 962 from Monday's 924 as more bodies were recovered from landslips and flooded areas.

These include 429 deaths in Mumbai. In Jui village of Raigad district, where 98 persons died in a massive landslip on July 25, as many as 32 bodies have been recovered, he said.

The work of removing debris to extricate those buried was hampered on Sunday and Monday due to continuous heavy rains.

Mr. Kadam said that next to kin of the dead would get Rs. 1 lakh each from the Central and State Governments. The families of dead farmers would get Rs. 1 lakh more as farmers are insured.

The Minister said that cash and foodgrains distribution to the affected persons was in full swing and a number of measures were being taken to ensure safe drinking water to prevent outbreak of epidemic.

He said that officers concerned were directed not to stick to rules, accounting systems and documentation imperatives and distribute the relief fast.

The insurance companies had agreed to settle the claims of the affected persons speedily and they would hold claim settlement camps in different zones.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail