Govt failed to cut damage despite alert

IMD warned of heavy downpour but state authorities did not to act accordingly

MUMBAI: Heavy rain pounded the city between 8.30am and 1.30pm, virtually paralysing transportation systems and inundating roads. However, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) released its first proper advisory, asking people to stay indoors, only around 2pm. By then, the city’s drains, capable of handling only 25mm of rain an hour, had already gone under.

The Maharashtra government, too, sprung into action much after mid-day. After wrapping up a cabinet meeting at noon, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis took stock of the situation and visited disaster management control centres in the afternoon. For the first part of the day, officials associated with the state disaster management cell maintained the situation is not dire and that the state was keeping a close watch.

Mumbai is no stranger to torrential rain, however, preventive disaster management and advisories remain a tall order for the city’s authorities.

The Colaba observatory of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued a statement to warn about heavy rain in the next 24 hours, after which the BMC sent out a perfunctory advisory through a press statement conveying the message.

Despite that state authorities seemed to have taken things lightly. No efforts were made to ensure smooth commute as lakhs of people remained stranded at various stations.

Even the state government’s circular to its own employees allowing them to leave work at 2.30pm was issued an hour later, after 3.30pm.

Medha Gadgil, additional chief secretary, relief and rehabilitation, however, said authorities informed all secretaries in advance verbally to let employees leave early and it was just the written word that was delayed.

Sudhir Naik, deputy municipal commissioner of general administration in the BMC, said, the civic body takes preventive measures to drain water into the sea. “When we have warnings like the one today, our staff is sent to the field in the morning. We deliberately sent out the first advisory late on Tuesday . If we had raised an advisory before that, people would have tried to step out and get home, and in turn get stranded,” he said.

IC Sisodia, former chief officer of the BMC’s special vigilance cell and disaster management cell, said there is negligible preventive management and preparation for disasters. “The disaster management cell functions like a call centre. People who man the phones are not appropriately trained to tackle warnings or respond to calls. The flood preparation manuals never reach the mobilised field staff,” said Sisodia, who retired in 1995.

The disaster management cell functions literally like a call centre. People who man the phones are not appropriately trained... The flood preparation manuals never reach the mobilised field staff. IC SISODIA, former chief officer of the BMC’s special vigilance cell