Rain situation under control coordinating with other states to manage release from dams Fadnavis

Pune, Aug 20 (PTI) The situation in rain-soaked Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra is under control, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Wednesday as the state capital saw respite from torrential rains that crippled the metropolis a day earlier.
    He stated that all necessary precautions regarding disaster management are being taken by deploying NDRF and SDRF jawans in areas being lashed by heavy rains in the state.
    "Water discharge from dams is being managed, and the government is in touch with neighbouring states to coordinate release as per our requests," Fadnavis told reporters.
    Torrential downpours crippled Mumbai and the metropolitan region on Tuesday, leaving low-lying areas submerged, stopping local trains on tracks, and severely impacting normal life.
    The situation eased on Wednesday as the rains took a break, barring intermittent showers.
    "The overall rain situation in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra is pretty much under control, though some areas were still witnessing heavy rainfall," the chief minister said.
    Fadnavis reiterated that crops on 14 lakh hectares were damaged and assured government aid to affected farmers after due assessment.
    The chief minister emphasised that any assistance to farmers can't be announced on the basis of the rains in the last four days.
    Heavy rains occurred in the last week and also in the last four consecutive days. There are set methods and parameters under the NDRF Act. Panchnamas (on-spot inspection of damage) must be carried out first, and only then can such help be announced, he said.
    “We have already issued instructions to conduct an assessment of damage," Fadnavis added.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)