Maha CM Thackeray: State govt will help flood-affected people in whatever way possible

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said the threat of flooding due to heavy rains still persists and assured his government will provide assistance to the affected people in whatever way possible.

Om Monday, CM Thackeray visited flood-affected villages in and said he was in constant touch with local authorities since the heavy rains began because of the retreating monsoon last week.

Earlier this week, heavy rains and floods claimed at least 48 lives in Pune, Aurangabad and Konkan divisions, while crops on lakhs of hectares were damaged.

As per the official information, till Friday, as many as 40,036 people had been shifted to safer places in four districts, including over 32,500 in Solapur and over 6,000 in Pune.

Thackeray said, "The weather bureau has warned there will be more rains in the coming days. I am here to take stock of the situation and panchnama (assessment) is being done."

"After the crisis is over, we will extend assistance in whatever way possible. I am not making any announcement now," he said.

Earlier in the day,he gave cheques of Rs 4 lakh each to 10 women whose family members died due to the floods, as assistance from the chief minister''s relief fund.

On the comment of Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Devendra Fadnavis that the state government should stop looking up to the Centre for help, Thackeray asked, "What is wrong in that?"

"The Centre is not a foreign government. Its job is to look over the country and the states. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called me on Friday and assured all assistance from the Centre," he said.

"There is no need to indulge in politics over flood relief and everyone should come together for the state''s welfare," he said. Thackeray further said he will be touring other flood-affected areas of the state in the next two days.

He will go to Osmanabad district on Tuesday to ascertain the damage caused by floods there, as per a release issued by the Chief Minister''s Office.

येते काही दिवस अतिवृष्टीचा, धोक्याचा इशारा दिला गेला आहे. संकट पूर्ण टळले आहे, असे नाही. पंचनामे सुरू आहेत. पूर्ण परिस्थितीचा आढावा लवकरच घेतला जाईल आणि तो घेतल्यानंतर प्रत्यक्ष जी काही मदत करायची आहे, ते हे सरकार करणार आहे.

— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) October 19, 2020

पक्षपातीपणा न करता सर्व राज्यांना मदत करणं ही केंद्राची जबाबदारी आहे. केंद्राकडून मदत मागण्यात चूक काहीच नाही. उलट शुक्रवारी माननीय पंतप्रधान मोदी जी यांचा मला फोन आला होता. गरज पडल्यास लागेल ती मदत करू, असं आश्वासन त्यांनी दिलं आहे.

— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) October 19, 2020