Situation under control, Army on stand-by in Satara and Sangli

Pune, July 30 (UNI) While two columns of Army have been deployed on stand-by duty in Satara and Sangli districts after there was an alert yesterday, with no damage to life and property reported, the situation today is fully under control with water levels receding, Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil here said.

Addressing reporters, Mr Patil after reviewing the flood situation with district officials and the administration said, ''In Western Maharashtra around 3,500 families living in low lying areas have been evacuated. The water levels are now receding and as it was released from dams periodically the situation has been quite under control.'' The only problem was at Sangli and that too not very severe like last year. Besides, we have had full cooperation from the Karnataka Government that has already released nearly two-and-half lakh cusecs of water from the Almatti Dam and has promised to release more. The flow of water is smooth. However, we have taken all the precautionary measure with the Army and they will be kept on standby duty for atleast another three to four days depending on the rains,'' he said.

After last year's experience, the district administration has been on alert and acted fast. The discharge of water from dams has been systematic and only a few areas that have no retention walls and some obstruction by trees were affected by the water, he added.

In Pandharpur, Sangli presently, the water is flowing atleast two feet below the flood levels, while in Pune it is one-and-half-feet below the flood levels. As per the monsoon department, there will be some respite soon, he informed.

District Guardian Minister and State Irrigation Minister Ajit Pawar said that a total of 525 families in Pune and 175 families in the district have been evacuated. Presently, Khadakvasla Dam in Pune is full upto 73 per cent, in Ujjani it is 88 per cent so there is room for 12 per cent more storage. This was possible due to the timely release. For the first time in the history of Koyna Dam, around 1,18,000 cusecs water was released in a single day. However, there is nothing to worry about. There was a little problem because the automatic gates of the Badghar Dam were up. There is no cause to worry, he assured.

Mr Pawar said, residents of low lying areas were moved to schools, and halls under the Pune Municipal Corporation.

When asked about the compensation as most were living on encroached land on the river bed, Mr Patil said that after the 'panchanamas' some financial assistance will be given, this is always done on humanitarian grounds, he said.

Municipal Commissioner Nitin Kareer said that before the monsoon the corporation had moved 1,200 slums from the low lying areas after last years rains.

Mr Patil also visited some of the families living in slums and those who had been evacuated to secured palces.

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