Citizens' panel finds loopholes, makes recommendation

Mumbai, Mar 9 (UNI) Lambasting the Maharashtra government for the alleged ''failure and corruption'' of its various departments during last year's floods in this mega-city, the Concerned Citizens' Commission today called for an all-embracing policy to deal with such disasters in the future to minimise loss of life and property.

Addressing a news conference here, Commission Convenor Debi Goenka and members, including Ms Teesta Setalwad, said lack of preparedness to meet a disaster of this magnitude had created a havoc and most of the state government departments were found wanting when they were expected to rise to the occasion.

The Commission, headed by retired Supreme Court Judge P B Sawant, had been set up by a coalition of NGOs and interested citizens of Mumbai to probe the July 26, 2005, floods following heavy downpour of more than 37 inches in just five hours, throwing normal life out of gear in the financial capital of India for several days.

Making public the Executive Summary of Draft Final Report, the Commission officials said while the panel received 13,890 written and 200 video-taped depositions, they got ''no response'' from state Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, who had also been invited to depose.

The Commission found, among others, that relief and rehabilitation efforts were marred with corruption and politics, the Mumbai Disaster Management Plan (MDMP) remained a ''futile exercise in academics'' as even the Chief Minister admitted that ''MDMP did not work well'', the two-day holiday declared by the state government kept away the employees from relief work, police failed to mark its presence anywhere due to lack of resources and will.

Among its recommendations, the panel suggested that functioning of civic and various government departments needed to be toned up completely, the meteorology department be taken to task for not issuing a priority alert despite the excessive rainfall recorded, the drainage shortcomings be removed and waste management be modernised. Besides, it also warned against interference with ecology in the Mithi river and Mahim Creek area, and stressed the urgent need for activation of the disaster management machinery to its utmost level.

UNI VP KD PA ND1908