NDRF base camp to be established in Raigad

The decision was made 'considering the Sahyadri ranges and vulnerable areas in Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts of the Konkan region,' Dy CM Ajit Pawar said.

A base camp of the National Disaster Response Force will be established in Raigad district, the Maharashtra government announced on Monday even as the search and rescue operations at the Irshalgad landslide site were wrapped up.

“Considering the Sahyadri ranges and vulnerable areas in Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts of the Konkan region, we are planning to set up an NDRF base camp in the Raigad district,” Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar told the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Monday.

The statement came during a discussion on the overall rain situation in Maharashtra and the Irshalwadi tragedy in Khalapur tehsil of Raigad district.

Also Read | Raigad landslide tragedy hits harder as many kids away at school orphaned

“The government is closely monitoring the overall scenario and is promptly dispatching relief material to affected areas even as the state faces the emergency triggered by torrential rains,” he said, referring to the situation in the Vidarbha region.

Meanwhile, School Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar has rushed to Kolhapur, where the water level has risen at various places because of the rains.

“Flooding has occurred in many places in the state along with heavy rainfall. In this situation, the government is keeping a close eye on every aspect…on the other hand, some districts have not received adequate rainfall,” Pawar said.

Meanwhile, the search and rescue operation at Irshalgad was wrapped up on Sunday evening and on Monday morning, the teams started leaving for their respective bases.

At the site, a police officer and three constables have been stationed as a safety precaution even as Section 144 of the CrPC was imposed so that people do not gather there.

“As per our records, there were 43 houses with 228 total residents. The rescue teams have recovered 27 bodies while 57 are missing. We have around 144 persons staying in the relief camp,” Raigad district’s guardian minister Uday Samant told reporters on Sunday after visiting the site.

Of these 144 persons, 21 persons were rescued alive while the rest 123 came down on their own.