Maharashtra: State admin delayed reaching landslide-hit village, say opposition leaders

Pravin Darekar

While Opposition leaders claimed that the state administration hadn't reached the landslide-affected village Taliye in Raigad district even after 22 hours of the incident that has killed about three dozen people, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that the rescue operation had started on Thursday itself. By Friday afternoon, a total of 36 deaths were reported.

Opposition leader in the Legislative Council Pravin Darekar and ex-minister Girish Mahajan said from Taliye on Friday afternoon that the villagers had removed the dead from under the debris with much difficulty because the administration hadn't reached there.

Debris of collapsed houses in Taliye village, Raigad. Pic/AFP

Darekar, who was accompanied by Mahajan and MLC Niranjan Davkhare said, "The incident happened at 4 pm on Thursday. No government official, not even a Talathi, had come here in 22 hours. Now they say they had a communication problem because of mobile network issues. The NDRF team also reached late. A group of youth from Thane came here for the rescue and evacuation," said. Raigad guardian minister Aditi Tatkare was at the spot when the BJP leaders visited. According to Darekar, timely evacuation could have saved many lives. "There was a red alert from the weather department but the administration didn't respond."

Relief started on Thurs: CM

After reviewing the state's disaster management, Thackeray said the administration had reached Taliye on Thursday itself. "Many people were saved and evacuated to safer places. As a precautionary measure, I have asked the administration to evacuate the village at the foothills. Seeing the rain these days, we will have to change the definition of heavy rain. Landslides take place, the rivers are swollen like never before," said the CM. Thackeray announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of deceased and free treatment for the injured.

Thackery said the NDRF was reaching places fighting all odds. "Cloud bursts are unpredictable. Roads in the Konkan have caved in. The NDRF is trying to reach the affected sites, overcoming all the problems on their way," Thackeray said.

Raigad district collector Nidhi Choudhary said the landslide was reported late on Thursday evening. "Since the roads leading to the spot were blocked due to the floods and the sludge, the rescue teams found it difficult to reach the site," she said. So far, 14 NDRF teams have been deputed in various parts of the state. Eight more reached from Odisha on Friday afternoon. In addition, the Indian Coast Guard, Navy and Air Force were pressed into service.

About 500 people were rescued in Chiplun, the worst-affected town in Konkan. Traffic stopped after a bridge connecting Chiplun and Mumbai collapsed. The situation in Mahad was improving on Friday.

With inputs from Agencies