Raigad landslide: Prohibitory orders imposed in landslide-hit Irshalwadi

Pic/PTI

The administration in Maharashtra's Raigad district on Saturday imposed prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in Irshalwadi, where 27 people have died in a landslide, reported news agency PTI.

The order issued by sub-divisional officer Karjat Ajit Nairali prohibits the movement of people other than those related to the relief and rescue works and tourists and trekkers.

The prohibitory orders will be effective from July 23 till August 6, it stated.

The death toll in the landslide at Irshalwadi hamlet in Maharashtra's Raigad district mounted to 27 on Saturday, the third day of the the search and rescue operation, while 81 persons are yet to be traced, an NDRF official told PTI.

As per the order, the undetected bodies and animals are decomposing, and foul smell is spreading to the entire area.

Constant rains, strong winds, and the menace of mosquitos adversely affect the work of search for the bodies, and the route has become marshy and there is a fear of another landslide in the region, it stated.

Considering these factors, the movement of citizens and others who are not connected with the rescue and relief work is prohibited, the order stated.

Talking to PTI, resident deputy collector of Raigad Sandesh Shirke said there were 11 orphaned children and some others are returning from ashram schools gradually on finding out about the tragedy.

The exact count will be known after the children are lodged in the camp, he said.

The revenue team has been assessing the land lost in tragedy and a proposal to allot land to affected persons will be forwarded to the concerned authorities, he said.

A special camp will be held to issue various certificates and documents, including Aadhaar cards, to villagers who have lost the same in the landslide, the official added.

The massive landslide hit Irshalwadi, a tribal village located on a hill slope in the coastal district, around 80 km from Mumbai, on July 19 night. At least 17 of 48 houses in the village were fully or partially buried under the landslide debris.

As the village, overlooked by Irshalgad fort, a popular trekking destination, does not have a pucca road, earth movers and excavators could not be easily moved and the rescue operation is being carried out manually, officials told PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)