MAHA RAINS: FADNAVIS REVIEWS RELIEF OPS, URGES EVACUATION

IMD issues orange alert for Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad

- TDG NETWORK

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday reviewed the rainfall situation and ongoing relief operations in eight Marathwada districts and Solapur, and directed officials to intensify field-level efforts.

Incessant rains battered several parts of Marathwada on Saturday, cutting off villages and inundating low-lying roads and bridges in the traditionally drought-prone region.

Solapur, located in western Maharashtra, has also witnessed heavy rains and crop damage.

With water discharge from dams being increased due to heavy rainfall, Fadnavis stressed the need to focus on evacuating people from vulnerable areas, a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said on Sunday.

As per the CMO statement, Fadnavis held discussions with collectors of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Beed, Hingoli, Jalna, Latur, Nanded, Dharashiv, Parbhani and Solapur districts and took stock of the situation arising from heavy rains and floods.

“All officials must remain on the ground and closely monitor relief and rescue operations,” he said.

Taking note of reports of fodder shortage in some areas, the chief minister directed the immediate supply of fodder for livestock.

He reviewed the discharge situation of dams across the state and directed the Water Resources Department to coordinate closely with local administrations and remain on high alert.

Due to around 150 mm of rainfall in the catchment and dam area of the Jayakwadi project, 1,25,000 cusecs (cubic feet per second) of water is being released into the Godavari River, which may increase up to 1.5 lakh cusecs, it said.

From the Majalgaon dam, 41,701 cusecs of water were being released, which has been reduced from the earlier 95,000 cusecs.