All govt depts directed to help flood-hit people: Mungantiwar

Maharashtra minister Sudhir Mungantiwar on Thursday said the government has directed all its departments to help the people affected by floods in Sangli and Kolhapur districts in the state.

The Finance Minister was talking to reporters at the city airport.

"The government has directed all its departments, including the disaster management department, to provide all possible help to the families affected by floods in Sangli and Kolhapur," he said.

All arrangements have been made to provide food to the affected people, he added.

Mungantiwar also expressed grief over the death of nine people in a boat capsize incident during the rescue operation in Sangli on Thursday.

"The government will provide financial assistance (to the kin of the victims) in the incident. But precaution needs to be taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents," he said.

Nine people drowned and four went missing after the boat engaged in rescue work overturned near Brahmanal village in Palus tehsil of Sangli.

According to officials, around 1.32 lakh flood-hit people in Pune region (comprising districts of Pune, Satara, Solapur, Sangli and Kolhapur) were shifted to safer places till Wednesday.