Mumbai: Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar has directed BMC administration to construct safety walls in landslide prone areas of Bhandup, Ghatkopar and Chembur to avoid any untoward incidents as an immediate measures. Pawar also directed State relief and rehabilitation department of Maharashtra to reimburse the BMC's money once it received from union government. On Tuesday, Pawar had conducted a meeting in Mantralaya wherein Additional commissioner Ashwini Bhide, upper Chief Secretary of housing, Valsa Nair Principal secretary of planing, Saurabh Vijay, Finance Secretary Shaila A and Director of State Disaster Management Appa Saheb Dhulaj were present for the meeting.
There are around 277 landslide prone areas in Mumbai. Most of them are in Chembur, Ghatkopar, Bhandup area. There are many chawls and hutments located on this land slide prone area for the safety of these hutments Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had conducted review meeting.
During the meeting, Ajit Pawar said " There are many residence are located on landslide area at Chembur, Ghatkopar, Bhandup. There is need to take immediate steps to stop human and property loss of the people. Therefore, BMC should give priority to take measures in these areas and construct safety walls and other safety measures." State Disaster Managament cell with the help of IIT Bombay surveyed the area and prepared a list. Pawar has directed BMC to implement safety measures considering this list.
BMC's survey says that people who resides in landslide prone areas often fill ups holes made in the hills to pass rain water. Now, as the water gets accumulated, the pressure leads to landslides. There are 277 landslide areas in Mumbai. The areas were divided into four categories: dangerous, medium-level dangerous, less dangerous and not dangerous areas. There were 46 dangerous areas identified yet. Construction of safety walls in all 46 very dangerous areas have finished but in other areas work is under progress.
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