Published 19:12 IST, August 6th 2020
Mumbai Rains: Fadnavis questions BMC's inability to control situation, cites pending work
On Thursday, former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis questioned the BMC's inability to control the situation in Mumbai arising out of heavy rains every year
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Addressing the media on Thursday, former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis questioned the BMC's inability to control the situation in Mumbai arising out of heavy rains every year. He visited South Mumbai's Peddar Road which got blocked due to landslide owing to the torrential rains that have battered the city since Tuesday. On this occasion, Mumbai BJP chief Mangal Prabhat Lodha, MLA Rahul Narvekar, corporators, and other leaders accompanied him.
Fadnavis pointed out that many of the pumping stations were yet to be constructed despite the civic body's repeated assurances. He also highlighted that the cleaning work of nullahs had not been completed. The Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly lamented that there was no progress in treating vulnerable spots in Mumbai as identified by BMC. Maintaining that BMC was one of the rare civic bodies which is not financially dependent on anyone, he called upon it to pay more attention to monsoon-related issues.
Devendra Fadnavis remarked, "The situation we are witnessing in Mumbai since Wednesday's rain is repeated every year. The BMC says that it has acted and says that it is building pumping stations. When will these pumping stations be constructed? We need to ask this question to the civic body. We feel that the BMC is not paying adequate attention to this issue. There is a talk about the cleaning of nullahs. But we do not know how many nullahs are actually cleaned. Because all the nullahs are overflowing."
"The BMC had decided that it would map the vulnerable spots and treat them. However, I do not know how many spots they have been able to treat. As per my information, they completed the mapping exercise. But no action was taken. Some consultant was appointed. But there was no progress thereafter. BMC is one of the few corporations which is not dependent on anyone else. It has money to work. But despite this, people have to suffer every year. I feel that the BMC should look into this," he added.
As per the India Meteorological Department, Colaba and Santacruz recorded 33 cm and 14.6 cm of rain respectively from 8.30 am on Wednesday to 5.30 am on Thursday.On Wednesday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the situation prevailing in Mumbai and surrounding areas arising out of heavy rain. On this occasion, the PM assured all possible support to the Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra.
19:12 IST, August 6th 2020