Monsoon Could Also Be Extreme This Year: Aaditya Thackeray

On Thursday, May 19, Mumbai suburban guardian minister, Aaditya Thackeray visited the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) office to assess the preparedness for the monsoon. The pre-monsoon works include the likes of desilting, tree trimming and road repairs amongst others. 

Thackeray then conducted a press conference wherein he elaborated on how nobody can stop nature's fury. Therefore in many places, they have put up dewatering pumps, kept pumping stations ready, placed trash boom barriers and other mitigation measures.

However, he says that if an extreme weather condition such as a cloud burst transpires, no one can do anything. He added that if Mumbai sees over 200mm of rain daily, any city and not just it could see flash floods. 

Further, he brought to light that so far the civic authority has been able to control 90 per cent of the flooding spots that crept up last year in the rains. He remarked that some are yet to be addressed.

He drew contrast to summer and winters by elucidating that since those conditions were extreme this year, he says monsoons could also be extreme. Even in this case, he says the authorities are prepared and have worked out their response.

Thackeray uttered that they want to ensure that the impact owing to any extreme weather condition is minimized and loss of life and property is curtailed. He later commented on the desilting work by voicing that the BMC has finished 78 per cent of the culvert cleaning works. 

The state minister for tourism and environment, at the same time, voiced that certain floating debris will still be found because people put garbage into it daily.

In the aftermath of landslides being reported the last monsoon, he mentioned that INR 62 crore funds have been rolled out for MLAs for building retaining walls. This is being done without taking their party into consideration. 

At the same time, he opines that retaining walls are not the answer because the future is bringing those residing in informal houses into formal homes. 

Also Read: Mumbai Rains: BMC Plans To Install Gauges To Ascertain Waterlogging Level