MUMBAIWEPT, BMC SLEPT
State, civic body have learnt nothing from the July 26, 2005, experience
The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Devendra Fadnavis regime has once again been caught napping. Tuesday’s downpour brought this Maximum City to its knees, inundating vast areas, throwing transport out of gear and confining people either in their homes or offices. It seemed that the state had learnt nothing from the 2005 experience.
First things first. The Indian Meteorological Department had warned of heavy rains for a few days, but instead of stepping up disaster preparedness, the authorities sat on the file. It swung into action only after the deluge, but by then it was too late.
BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta dished out cold statics on Wednesday, arguing that the civic has done its best: 313 pumps, he said, were pressed into operation. But what he didn’t say is that 83 of them failed.
Most residents complained on Wednesday that the drains and other water outlets were chocked, adding to their woes. Desilting of the nullahs are done, but at an extremely slow pace. Mehta said on Wednesday that the infrastructure as it exists doesn't allow them to manage the kind of situation that arose on Tuesday. “Whenever there's 50mm rainfall, we manage but if there's suddenly 300mm rainfall it will obviously be an issue,” he said.
There are complaints that some of the major nullahs in Chembur, Kurla and Ghatkopar were not properly cleaned. “There is no clarity on what amount of silt the nullahs or drains are already carrying and what exactly is a full desilting work. There are no measures,” said a former municipal commissioner.
The ruling party in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, the Shiv Sena’s president Uddhav Thackeray, on Wednesday held a meeting with civic chief Ajoy Mehta and Mumbai mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar at the Mayor’s bungalow to discuss issues regarding floods in the city.
Uddhav also interacted with the media and stated that unlike other party members he will not make any political comments though he can, to gain mileage. But he will not take his party stature to that low a level he claimed.
Meanwhile, he also said, “BMC officials should be applauded for doing efficient work. Nullahs were cleaned so that the city stood the very next day or else the city would have been submerged.”
Mumbai on Tuesday experienced extremely heavy rainfall. In just seven hours between 8am to 3pm many parts of the city recorded 200 milimetres of rainfall, which as per IMD, comes under heavy rainfall category. The highest rainfall was recorded at Worli, which was about 300 mm in less than 12 hours.
In addition, Thackeray stated that it was a natural calamity which occurred and no one can challenge nature. “However, everybody did their best to help stranded people. Mumbaikars understood but few are doing politics on Mumbai rains, which is sad,” he said.
The entire city was drenched due to heavy rainfall. Hence, to provide medical facilities Uddhav Thackeray has declared that his party would organise free medical camps from Thursday onwards to help citizens. Free medical check-up of citizens, BMC officials and police would be done.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena, which controls the city civic body, accused the BJP, its alliance partner in the state government, of taking “undue credit” for the relief work being carried out by the Uddhav Thackeray-led party.
A Yuva Sena functionary has tweeted a photo claiming that the BJP has “photoshopped” the Sena’s name to take “undue credit” for the relief work being done by his party.
Responding to the tweet posted by Yuva Sena social media consultant Sagar Pardeshi, the youth wing president and Thackeray’s son Aaditya asked the BJP to stop such activities and concentrate on relief work instead. “Disgusting. 1) Stop photoshopping other help with your logo. 2) Take all credit bt assist ppl. Credit games fr politics isn’t everything,” Aaditya tweeted.
“It's not the time for branding, especially through photoshop and social media. It’s time to get down and assist people,” he added.
Responding to Aaditya’s allegations, BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari said such comments are only worth neglecting.
“The party would not like to respond to such allegations,” he said.
Joining the blame game over the rain woes, NCP leader Dhananjay Munde said the BJP and Sena are jointly responsible for “allowing Mumbai to sink”.