Nagpur: Senior NCP leader and MLA Ajit Pawar on Monday demanded apology from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for abrupt adjournment of both Assembly and Council following heavy rains. “The rain water entered electric cabin at the base of Vidhan Bhavan and disrupted power supply leading to adjournment of both House abruptly. The Chief Minister should apologise to people for this mess,” Pawar demanded.
As the proceedings of both Houses commenced on first day of second week of Monsoon Session, Pawar raised the issue. “People suffered untold miseries in and around Nagpur as a result of continuous heavy rain. The Government was caught off guard as no appropriate arrangements were made for holding Monsoon Session in city. Two days of Session were lost. Not only people but legislators were also put to hardship,” the NCP MLA said and added that losses suffered by people should be adequately compensated.
Nagpur and surrounding areas were pounded by incessant rains on Friday, July 6. Rainfall of 263 mm was recorded within hours. Such battering was observed 24 years ago in 1994. The heavy rains exposed the drainage system of the city and caused flooding of several localities.
The Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, raising the issue, demanded action against Disaster Management chief and Municipal Commissioner. “BJP is ruling the Nagpur Municipal Corporation since past 15 years. All the claims of cleanliness drives regarding rivers and nallahs have been proved hollow. Only publicity stunt is going on.”
The day after facing the huge embarrassment following adjournment of both the Houses of State Legislature for the day due to interruption in power supply and water-logging in switch-room due to heavy rainfall, the authorities swung into action. In less than 24 hours since the directions of Haribhau Bagde, Speaker of Legislative Assembly, security walls got erected in electrical panel room. A water proof shed also got erected there. Further, the drainage lines were being cleared. In fact, outside Vidhan Bhavan premises, the portion along the compound wall was dug up and earth was removed to create passage for drainage line. The officers of Nagpur Municipal Corporation as well as Public Works Department both swung into ‘mission mode’ as instructed by Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister. Inside the Vidhan Bhavan premises, apart from cleaning the drainage lines to ensure that water was drained out even if it rains heavily, an elevated walking platform was being created towards the main entrance. The drainage line was cleared of plastic packs, garbage, and silt. The closed ends of drainage lines were opened.
