Uddhav pegs Aug 5 rain-caused loss to over Rs 500 Cr in Mumbai, seeks Centre's help

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in a virtual meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said Mumbai incurred dams worth over Rs 500 crore in August 5 downpour and heavy winds that battered India's financial capital.  CM said Mumbai recorded 333 mm rainfall during 24-hour period on August 5, while wind speed that day was 70 km to 80 km gusting to 106 km.

" cyclone Nisarga has caused a loss of over Rs 1,065 crore in state and rains along with storm on August 5, 2020, have caused an estimated loss of over Rs 500 crore in Mumbai," Thackeray said, according to a government release.

Thackeray said that amid verse wear conditions, State government and city civic body showed reiness and brought situation back to rmal within hours. Highlighting that Mumbai rests on a low-lying topography, CM said that flooding is caused due to tidal conditions on sea during rainfall.

Chief Minister also informed that due to efficient work done by Mumbai municipal officials in many places through pumping stations of corporation, major accidents could be avoided.

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Demand for PM-led panel on disaster relief

During meet, PM Modi ted re is good coordination between Centre and State governments during crisis situations and ded his dispensation is with all states while facing calamities, statement said. On this, Thackeray demanded that a committee be set up under chairmanship of Prime Minister for disaster relief and coordination among all flood-hit states.

He asked Centre to transfer a plot of Union Commerce Ministry to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation at Mahul for setting up a pumping station. He said that if this pumping station is set up, it will be possible to extract a large amount of rainwater from Hindmata, Dar and Wala — usual sites in Mumbai waterlogged during monsoon.

meeting discussed various important issues such as river connection project, state-of--art software for real-time data, riverbank encroachments, construction of flood dams, diverting water from flooded areas to or areas.

Moreover, CM asked Centre to install Doppler rar in Aurangab in central Maharashtra for wear forecasting in states Marathwa region.  PM also called for greater public investment in localised early warning system so that people in a particular area can be provided with a timely warning in case of any threatening situation such as breach of river embankment, inundation level, lightning etc.

PM meets State CMs

PM Modi reviewed  preparedness of Assam, Bihar, Uttar Presh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Kerala to deal with south-west monsoon and current flood situation in country in a virtual meeting with  Chief Ministers of those states on Monday. meeting was also attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, both Minister of State in Home Affairs and senior officers of concerned Central Ministries and organizations.

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