31 August,2017 02:18 PM IST | Mumbai | Faisal Tandel
Even as the family frantically wades through filthy nullahs in search of the teenager, there's no sign of the authorities. Why? They're far too busy rubbing shoulders with CM Devendra Fadnavis
Ashok Jaiswal holds up a picture of Gauri, his missing daughter. Pic/Datta Kumbhar
More than 24 hours after Gauri Jaiswal, 14, was swept away in the floods in Thane, her family still can't find her. But she's not the only one missing: Even as the family frantically wades through filthy nullahs in search of the teenager, there's no sign of the authorities. Why? They're far too busy rubbing shoulders with CM Devendra Fadnavis, who was less than 2 km away, inaugurating the new Kalwa and Kasarvadavli police stations.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis cuts the ribbon at the inauguration ceremony
Gauri was swept away by the floods right outside her house in Thane West said her father, Ashok Jaiswal. "She had come out of the house as it was flooded and she fell into a nullah. We have been looking for her, but the water is waist-high," he said.
"The authorities were with us till this morning (Wednesday), but since 11 am, they left us to search for her on our own. Such negligence is unacceptable,' said Ashok, alleging that they were all busy with the inauguration.
Yet another local, Deepali Bansode, 27, went missing in the flood. "I was about to pick her up from her workplace at Korum Mall. She waved at me and then suddenly, she was no longer there," recalled her husband, Vishal.
Despite repeated attempts by mid-day, the CM's office was unavailable for comment. Photographs show that TMC chief Sanjeev Jaiswal was busy with the inauguration ceremony as well. Sandeep Malvi, deputy municipal commissioner said, "Our Disaster Management Cell and the Fire Brigade are only assigned the job of rescue."
