The Pune Municipal Corporation’s health department has stepped up fever surveillance and examined more than 400 patients since Monday. (Express)Pune District Collector Naval Kishore Ram has clarified that the water situation in Pune is under control, and although traffic issues may crop up on Tuesday, the situation ‘is not worrying and citizens should not panic’.
The Collector said rumours circulating on social media should not be believed, as all bridges in the city are safe. The bridges currently closed for traffic due to high water levels in the Mula and Mutha rivers will be opened as soon as water levels go down, Ram said. For authentic information about closure and opening of bridges, the citizens can visit punetrafwatch.com portal, where information is being updated regularly, he added.
“Although meteorological department has forecast rains till Friday, the rainfall won’t be as heavy as on August 4, which had filled up dams in rural areas. In fact, in Pune city, rains have abated. The high water levels in rivers, which has led to temporary closure of six bridges in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, are due to the downpour in Maval and Mulshi areas, where dams are situated. However, rains have slowed there too, and water levels will go down from today,” said Ram, adding that as dams are filled to capacity, water is being released into rivers, but in smaller quantities.
Schools and colleges in Pune District remain closed on Tuesday, the second consecutive day. Of the seven bridges closed, one in Aundh was opened for traffic on Monday evening.
As traffic jams continue due to flooding in the regions leading to Hinjewadi IT Park, several companies have asked their employees to work from home.
“The situation is normal but attendance of employees in office is low as company buses are getting delayed due to traffic jams and diversions caused by bridge closures. Hence, several IT companies have asked employees to work from home,” said an office-bearer of Hinjewadi Industries Association.
Civic body provides health services at temporary camps
The Pune Municipal Corporation’s health department has stepped up fever surveillance and examined more than 400 patients since Monday in areas that have been flooded.
Dr Ramchandra Hankare, medical officer of health at PMC, said their medical teams and ambulances have been deployed at schools which have offered shelter to flood-affected people. “We have also availed services of state-run 108 ambulances,” he said.
According to Dr Anjali Sabne, assistant medical officer of health, PMC at Rajiv Gandhi hospital at Yerawada, a health team has been providing medicines at Shanti Nagar, Buddh Vihar, Nanasaheb Parulekar School, VD Ghate School and Karnal Yung School in Yerawada.
Dr Snehal Barathe said that at Dhole Patil School on Tadiwala Road, more than 250 patients are being taken care of. At Sarthi School under Nagar Road Ward Office, around 100 people have been examined while 30 persons are being treated at Bharati Hospital.
