Vilas Muttemwar urges sanction of Rs 1000 crore for Vidarbha relief

NAGPUR: Congress MP Vilas Muttemwar raised the issue of Vidarbha's flood situation in the Lok Sabha, under Rule 377, saying that a very serious and unprecedented situation has been created due to excessive rainfall in the region, a press release issued by his office said here today.

Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha today, Muttemwar said that Chandrapur and Yavatmal are the worst affected districts.

"In order to overcome the situation arising out of extensive damage due to heavy rains in the Vidarbha region, I urge the government to sanction a special financial assistance of atleast Rs 1,000 crore for construction and repair of roads in Nagpur city alone, besides relief as well as rehabilitation of a large number of affected people, particularly those living in slums and to undertake other development works," the release quoted Muttemwar telling the Lok Sabha.

Chandrapur has been submerged under water for over two days and the entire communication system there has collapsed. Water has damaged homes, roads have been damaged, sewerage system has completely failed, several animals have perished, irrigation projects have been badly damaged and more than four lakh hectares of agricultural fields have been inundated in deep water due to which standing crops have been completely damaged, ensuring that the possibility of growing fresh crop is remote, he told the Lok Sabha.

Incessant rains have led to rising water levels in Naag Nadi, Peeli Nadi and Chambhar Nala, creating a flood-like situation in many areas of Nagpur city which experienced excessive rainfall to the extent of 1008 mm, which is 222.17 per cent higher than the average rainfall, he said.

There has been extensive damage to 771 roads of about 1195.72 km and 14 bridges, he said, which has completely disrupted the road transport network, he said.

Poor sanitary conditions created due to garbage all around is not only a big health hazard but has also led to mosquito breeding. The situation would not have been so if municipal authorities had taken timely remedial steps to avoid this extraordinary situation, he said.

Nearly eight lakh people living in Nagpur's slums are worst affected due to heavy rains which has also badly damaged their means of livelihood and submerged their residences under water.