As the state continues to reel under a severe flood crisis, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis cut short his statewide Mahajanadesh Yatra and chaired a cabinet meeting to discuss the situation. Apart from issuing routine directives to ensure supply of food, drinking water and other essential items for the flood-affected people in Kolhapur, Sangli, Raigad and Palghar districts, he decided to double monetary relief for the families whose homes have been destroyed. He also coordinated with district officials and the Central government to expedite relief and evacuation measures.

Situation grim

The affected families in rural areas will now get '10,000 and those living in urban areas will get '15,000 as immediate relief. The departments concerned have been asked to inspect and release the relief immediately. Even though the floods have caused great loss of property and agriculture, Fadnavis said not many people had lost their lives. Usually the western part of the state does not get much affected by the floods, but this time the situation is quite different there. Floods have thrown normal life out of gear in Sangli, Kolhapur and Satara districts where 65,000 people were evacuated in the past 24 hours. The situation in Palghar and Raigad districts was grim as 3,000 stranded people had to be moved to safe locations. Addressing a media conference, Fadnavis said the situation was under control due to the undying efforts of the state administration and disaster management agencies, including the three wings of the Armed forces, the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force. The Coast Guard was also rescuing people and offering them relief, he added.