Pune/Mumbai, Aug 1 (UNI) Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday urged Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to convene an all-party meeting so that a long term strategy can be chalked out to tackle the continuous problem of floods in the state.
"For deliberating on long-term measures, an all-party meeting should be convened," the former CM said in a letter while listing 26 other demands.
Several parts of the state were inundated after heavy rains last month.
Mr Fadnavis, who toured flood-ravaged areas of the Konkan region and western Maharashtra over the last few days, said all previous reports pertaining to floods should be studied and their recommendations should be implemented.
He sought a separate disaster management authority for districts in Konkan, considering the frequency of natural calamities in the region along with a separate fund to provide immediate financial assistance to the kin of the flood victims and the affected people.
"Cleanliness of the flood-hit areas should also be taken up on priority," Mr Fadnavis said and demanded that the administration take steps to provide food, clothing, medicines, and temporary shelter to the flood-affected people.
The BJP leader urged Mr Thackeray to formulate a special loan scheme at concessional interest rates for different sections of society to resurrect their lives that has been devastated by the floods.
In the letter, the former CM requested to pay special attention to rising cases of COVID-19 in the Kolhapur district. "Around 700 COVID-19 patients and 25 deaths are reported every day in Kolhapur," he said and demanded special safety precautions against the viral infection.
Raising the issue of farmers' distress, Fadnavis said the financial aid for crop losses and cleaning of agricultural land should be deposited in the bank accounts of farmers immediately.
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