Just a few weeks ago, a landslide in the Irshalgad region of Maharashtra claimed the lives of 27 persons in total. Currently, 136 villages in the Raigad district are in danger of flooding, and 211 more villages there are at risk of landslides, according to official information from the government that News18 has acquired. Prasad Lad, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party and a member of the legislative council, questioned the state government during the ongoing monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature about other villages in the Raigad district that are at risk of flooding and landslides and what steps the administration has taken to ensure the safety and security of the locals and their properties in such a situation. The aforementioned details were provided in a written response from minister of relief and rehabilitation Anil Patil.
The minister said that in case of any adverse situation, individuals might be relocated to neighborhood schools and community centers for their protection and security. Additionally, each town confronting one of these risks has created an action team. These teams include of local NGOs operating in certain regions, police-patils, gramvikas adhikaris, talathis, and gram sevaks. All governmental offices in the district have also been urged to set up control rooms that are operational around-the-clock.
In the Irshalgad tragedy, the rescue and relief effort was put on hold after four days owing to severe weather and a lack of infrastructure that prevented the delivery of heavy gear to the scene. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local rescue organizations were able to remove 27 remains from the rubble, while 57 individuals were still unaccounted for. 84 people had died in a landslide two years before in the same region close to Mahad town. The access road was in poor condition owing to constant rain, and the authorities there also had difficulties getting aid to the scene in a timely manner.
BJP leader Prasad Lad, who brought up the issue before the council, told News18 that he is not at all pleased with the written response that the administration provided. “I have urged that the state government do a geological assessment of villages that are in Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts that are under such danger and have permanent infrastructure where inhabitants may be relocated. The state administration has informed me that a meeting would be held this week to discuss this matter. However, the government has to take fast action since more than 300 settlements face imminent danger from landslides and floods. Any administration in power simply cannot provide Rs. 5 lakh in compensation to the victims’ families. We need long-term remedies for these issues.
