Pune: In the aftermath of the severe flooding in Pune, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has been criticized for concentrating its resources in areas visited by political leaders, such as Ekta Nagari, while neglecting other flood-affected regions like Vitthal Nagar.
During inspections by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol, and other officials, PMC's garbage collection trucks, staff, water tankers, and jetting machines were heavily deployed in the areas where these leaders gathered, leaving many residents in other parts of the city struggling to manage the cleanup and recovery on their own.
Pune faced severe flooding due to heavy rains in the Khadakwasla dam catchment area, causing the Mutha River to overflow.
Floodwaters engulfed entire homes in areas such as Warje, Sinhagad Road, Pulachi Wadi, Patil Estate, and Khilare Vasti, with Ekta Nagar and Nimbaj Nagar being the worst hit. Over 65 societies were affected, with residents struggling to rebuild their lives.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) initiated cleanup efforts as the floodwaters receded, using jetting and suction machines to remove silt and restore the sewage system. Ground floor homes suffered the most, with water levels exceeding six feet, submerging entire households.
The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) began repairing and replacing transformers to restore power. However, many societies remained without electricity due to waterlogged meters posing a short-circuit risk. The power outage lasted two days, causing significant inconvenience to residents.
Due to inadequate municipal resources, cleanliness could not be maintained in every society. Some societies hired laborers at their own expense to clean and spray disinfectants. Many used external agencies for household cleaning.
Many did not hear the fire brigade's evacuation calls and were alerted by neighbors. Residents recounted wading through chest-deep water to evacuate, losing household items and essential belongings.
Sachin Bare expressed that despite their familiarity with the water levels from Khadakwasla dam releases, they were not given prior notice this time. They were suddenly told to evacuate.
"If we had been informed earlier, we could have moved essential items. Refrigerators, washing machine, TV, food grains, clothes, bedding, children's notebooks, and books were all submerged. We spent the whole day removing silt from our house."
Nisha Wagh shared that she runs a pickle and fruit pulp business from home. The floodwaters ruined all her machines. Her son, who is pursuing CA, lost all his books, and the furniture was damaged. Now, they lack even basic bedding at home.