Mumbai, July 6 (IANS) In light of the severe weather conditions, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday directed all emergency services to work round-the-clock on a war footing.
He also urged citizens to step out of their homes only if absolutely necessary and advised working professionals to opt for ‘Work From Home’. CM Fadnavis issued these strict directives following a high-level review meeting held at the State Disaster Control Room.
The Chief Minister stated that, given the current situation, private companies must grant their employees the flexibility to ‘Work From Home’ out of human consideration. He issued a direct warning that strict legal action would be taken against companies or establishments that fail to comply with these guidelines.
He also appealed to the public to avoid traveling unless it is for indispensable work.
CM’s warning comes as the monsoon has taken a severe turn across Maharashtra, leading to flooding in many areas. Life has ground to a halt across several parts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai and Pune, due to continuous heavy rainfall.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has extended a ‘Red Alert’ for the state for the next two days, lasting until the night of July 8.
The Chief Minister has ordered all district administrations and disaster management teams to remain on alert mode 24×7. Over the last 24 hours, several unfortunate landslides have been reported across different parts of the state.
A major landslide on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway brought down large boulders and tons of mud onto the highway. Emergency teams are working on a war footing to clear the debris, and the CM has instructed officials to prioritise clearing the resulting traffic congestion.
Coastal districts, including Mumbai, are likely to experience gusty winds of 50 to 70 km/h. Keeping the risk of high tides in mind, teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed in sensitive, low-lying coastal areas.
During the review meeting, CM Fadnavis expressed deep concern regarding the Nashik and Trimbakeshwar regions. Due to a deep depression formed over the Arabian Sea, Nashik district is highly likely to receive over 300 mm of rain on Tuesday, triggering cloudburst-like conditions.
This heavy downpour is expected to primarily impact Trimbakeshwar and surrounding mountainous terrains. The Nashik district administration has also been directed to take additional precautionary measures to ensure the safety of tourists.
The Chief Minister instructed officials to identify landslide-prone zones and vulnerable roads, and immediately shift tourists to safer locations. The administration has also issued an appeal urging tourists to completely avoid visiting tourist spots in Nashik and Trimbakeshwar for the next few days.
–IANS
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