Pune, July 6 (IANS) In the wake of the natural disaster triggered by heavy rainfall in Pune district, Deputy Chief Minister and District Guardian Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar on Monday directed the administration to provide all necessary and immediate assistance to affected citizens.

She emphasised that the administrative machinery is fully geared up to tackle the heavy monsoon conditions, while also appealing to the public to follow all instructions issued by the authorities. Deputy CM Pawar on Monday reviewed the ground reality across the district in a high-level meeting with top officials.

She issued several critical directives to ensure public safety and swift rehabilitation. She instructed that relief material and aid must reach citizens in the flood-affected areas without any delay.

If any village loses connectivity due to the heavy rains, restoration efforts must be undertaken on a war footing. Protecting human life must remain the highest priority behind every administrative decision. The disaster control room must remain functional 24×7, with situation reports updated every hour.

Dy CM Pawar insisted that citizens living in high-risk zones must be evacuated immediately to safer shelters. They must be promptly provided with adequate food, clean drinking water and necessary healthcare facilities. Timely alerts regarding floods, landslides and dam water discharges must be actively broadcast via SMS, social media, Gram Panchayats and local administrative bodies.

“No government officer or employee is permitted to leave their headquarters. All disaster response cells must remain on high alert,” she said.

Dy CM Pawar further instructed that seamless coordination must be maintained between the NDRF, SDRF, Police, Fire Department and Revenue Department to execute rescue operations swiftly. Tight security and police deployment must be ensured near closed roads, bridges and mountain passes (ghats) to prevent citizens from entering hazardous zones.

“Administrative bodies must curb the spread of misinformation and ensure that only verified, official information is disseminated. Financial compensation and immediate relief must be disbursed to the families of the deceased, injured and affected as per government norms,” she noted.

Moreover, Dy CM Pawar instructed all relevant departments to work on a war footing to restore disrupted electricity, water supply, health services and communication networks as quickly as possible. The district administration has been ordered to submit an updated situational report to the state government every two hours. The District Collector has been personally tasked with monitoring vulnerable areas closely to make rapid decisions, with a stern warning that no laxity or delay will be tolerated.

The Pune Guardian Minister highlighted the need for special care for Warkari pilgrims, especially elderly women and children participating in the Wari pilgrimage. Additionally, she directed the police department to take proactive measures to prevent severe traffic congestion around Information Technology (IT) parks and industrial clusters. Due to the continuous downpour across the district, water levels in dams have risen significantly, leading to large-scale water discharge. Consequently, traffic on several river bridges has been suspended.

In light of these conditions, Dy CM Pawar strongly appealed to citizens to stay away from riverbeds and avoid venturing into water bodies.

With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a high alert for Pune district, the Deputy Chief Minister concluded with a reassuring message to the public: “The administration is working in close coordination. I urge all citizens to adhere to official guidelines and ignore any floating rumours. Let us stand united in this hour of crisis and overcome this natural calamity together.”

–IANS

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