15-09-13
Nagpur Division requires Rs 1565 cr
to repair damage to infrastructure
* This damage to infrastructure is other than the damage caused to agriculture and personal properties
Staff Reporter
Everyone has agreed that floods and
high-intensity rainfall between June and August have caused widespread
damage to agriculture and resulted in loss of life and property.
However, there is one more major aspect -- damage to infrastructure. As
per the administration’s latest report, which was presented before Union
Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar as well as the Central team that
visited Vidarbha region recently, the damage to infrastructure in Nagpur
Division has been assessed to be worth Rs 1,564.8775 crore.
In almost every city and village in six districts of Nagpur Division,
roads are in poor shape. There are places where bridges and culverts
have been washed away. Many buildings of schools/colleges and healthcare
centres, power transmission and distribution lines, irrigation
infrastructure also have been damaged due to heavy rains. The State
Government has taken note of damage in Vidarbha region and has announced
a package of Rs 1,934 crore. Besides, it has sought aid of Rs 2,000
crore from the Central Government. The Centre is yet to announce the
package. However, if the Centre announces aid of Rs 2,000 crore only, it
would prove to be inadequate for entire region.
In Nagpur Division alone, loss of and damage to infrastructure alone is
around Rs 1,565 crore. If one adds to it the figure of erosion of
agricultural land and washing away of fertile layer of soil from farms,
the figures for loss/damage may increase tremendously. Already, much of
the financial assistance announced by the State is being distributed to
kin of people who died, and to people injured during floods and
high-intensity rainfall. So far, 107 persons have died in Nagpur,
Wardha, Bhandara, Gondia, Chandrapur, and Gadchiroli districts. Besides,
56 have been injured. As far as private property is concerned, a total
of 1,921 houses have been damaged fully while a massive 68,840 houses
have been damaged partially between June 1 and August 31. Further, there
has been loss of livestock. Compensation in all these cases only will
require crores of rupees.
With the Central team’s visit, hopes of affected people from Vidarbha
region in general and Nagpur Division in particular increased that they
will get a better deal from the Government. Union Agriculture Minister
Sharad Pawar, who is on tour of the region currently, also has assured
that the Centre will provide ‘adequate’ assistance. Against this
backdrop, even the administration is hoping that the Centre will provide
necessary financial aid required for repair and restoration of
infrastructure in the region.
The rain fury damaged 1,709.18 kms of State roads, 2,756.05 kms of
district roads, 3,498.9 kms of village roads, and 1,078 bridges/culverts
in six districts of Nagpur Division. Further, 748 buildings of
schools/colleges, 113 healthcare buildings, and 3,114 other buildings
were damaged fully and partially. Damage has been caused to irrigation
structures also. The district-wise number of irrigation structures
(including State and local sector projects both) damaged is as follows:
Nagpur-- 91, Bhandara-- 26, Gondia-- 35, Wardha-- 55, Gadchiroli-- 19,
and Chandrapur-- 37.
The heavy rainfall has affected power transmission and distribution
lines also. According to a report of Regional Executive Director-III
(Nagpur) of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited
(MSEDCL), the damage to distribution network has been quantified to be
worth Rs 2.3356 crore. A total of 263 high-tension poles, 659
low-tension poles, 67.13 kms of high-tension and low-tension lines, 48
transformers, 1,543 meters, and 57 distribution boxes were damaged in
rain fury. Similarly, Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company
Limited (MSETCL) has sought Rs 7.7133 crore for restoration and
improvement of power transmission system specially in Chandrapur and
Gadchiroli districts.
Damage to infrastructure in Nagpur Division
n Roads and bridges/culverts -- Rs 1237.0685 cr
n Urban infrastructure in Nagpur city -- Rs 165 cr
n Urban infrastructure in Gondia and Chandrapur cities -- Rs 94.6726 cr
n School/college, healthcare and other buildings -- Rs 41.37 cr
n Power transmission lines -- Rs 7.7133 cr
n Power distribution lines -- Rs 2.3356 cr
n Irrigation structures -- Rs 16.7175 cr
n Total assessed damage to infrastucture -- Rs 1,564.8775 cr
Loss of Rs 165 crore in Nagpur city
Nagpur
city, the Second Capital of Maharashtra and the biggest city of
Vidarbha region, has seen the worst-ever rain fury so far in terms of
damage caused to urban infrastructure. The rains damaged roads,
drainages, river protection walls, bridges/culverts, footpaths, storm
water drains etc. As per the assessment of Nagpur Municipal Corporation
(NMC), 1,195.72 kms of roads, 105 river protection walls, and 14 bridges
have been damaged in its area. NMC has pegged the loss at Rs 72.8584
crore. Whereas, Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) has sought Rs 92.15 crore
to repair and restore urban infrastructure damaged by high-intensity
rainfall between June 1 and August 31. Apart from Nagpur city, damage to
urban infrastructure has been to the tune of Rs 27.4426 crore in
Gondia, and Rs 67.23 crore in Chandrapur district.
Comments
Post a Comment