Pune: Nimbaj Nagar Residents Struggle with Flood Damage, Urgent Relief Needed
Pune, 25th July 2024: The intensity of rain in Pune city and district has significantly increased, prompting Collector Suhas Diwase to announce a holiday for all schools. Areas including Pune city, Bhor, Velha, Maval, Mulshi, and Khadakwasla in Haveli taluka have been warned of heavy rain, and citizens are urged to seek safe places. The relentless downpour has led to severe flooding in several parts, causing extensive damage.
In Sinhagad Road’s Nimbaj Nagar locality in Anand Nagar, water has inundated shops, leading to losses worth lakhs for the shopkeepers.
Water is being released from the Khadakwasla dam into the Mutha river basin. The dam area has recorded an average rainfall of 100 mm, with more than 200 mm recorded in the ghat. The discharge rate may increase depending on further rainfall. Consequently, citizens are prohibited from going to certain places. Dwarka, Jalpujan, Sharda Sarovar, and Sham Sundar housing societies in the Ekta Nagri area on Sinhagad road are submerged under water.
A shopkeeper whose store was flooded lamented, “This is the first time since we moved here that water has filled up. We have suffered a lot. Everything we do is based on this. We have to pay something. We cannot live without it. We have nothing else for sustenance. There was a lot of goods in the shop. This is the goods of the people. So we have to pay compensation now.”
Another shopkeeper, visibly moved to tears, said, “We have lost lakhs of rupees. Everything we do is based on this. Someone should compensate us.”
In light of the flood situation in Pune, many citizens have faced significant losses. According to the Executive Engineer of the Khadakwasla Irrigation Department, citizens are prohibited from going to Bhide Bridge, Khillare Vasti College Campus in Garware College, Shitala Devi Temple Deccan, Vasti in front of Sangam Bridge, Jayantrao Tilak Bridge, and Holkar Bridge.
Pune Municipal Corporation’s fire brigade is actively rescuing people stranded along the city’s riverbanks and moving them to safer places, said MP Muralidhar Mohol. He also mentioned that twenty fire officers and nearly three hundred personnel, including Chief Fire Officer Devendra Potfode, are working tirelessly at various locations to ensure public safety.
The administration continues to monitor the situation closely, urging citizens to stay indoors and avoid flood-prone areas.
