Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided not to make public the findings of the committee report investigating the causes of the severe flooding in Sinhagad Road and other parts of the city during July.
The decision, announced by Municipal Commissioner Dr. Rajendra Bhosale, has sparked concerns among citizens and activists eager to understand the reasons behind the unexpected flooding that disrupted several neighborhoods.
The flooding incident, which occurred in July, saw rainwater inundate Ekta Society and surrounding areas on Sinhagad Road, trapping over 300 residents and causing widespread panic during the night.
The unexpected deluge prompted visits from prominent political figures, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar, MNS President Raj Thackeray, and Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray, all of whom called for a thorough investigation.
In response, Commissioner Bhosale set up a four-member committee on July 26 to examine the causes and recommend preventive measures.
The committee, comprising Superintendent Engineers Sahebrao Dandge, Dinkar Gojari, Bipin Shinde, and Sunanda Jagtap from the Irrigation Department, submitted its findings in early September.
Despite the importance of the report, PMC Commissioner Dr. Rajendra Bhosale has opted not to release it to the public. "The committee was not an investigative body but was appointed to study the flooding in Ekta Nagar.
There is no need to release the report publicly. I will review the findings and share relevant information with the media as necessary," Dr. Bhosale stated.
This stance has drawn criticism from civic activists. Vivek Velankar, representing Sajag Nagrik Manch, called for the report to be made accessible on the PMC website, highlighting its significance for public safety. He argued that the findings could guide future preventive measures to avoid similar incidents.
According to Commissioner Bhosale, the report points to excessive rainfall in the dam catchment areas as the primary cause of the flooding that impacted Sinhagad Road and nearby localities in July.
However, the Commissioner declined to comment on the role of water discharge from dams managed by the Water Resources Department on the day of the incident.