Disaster management cell in deep slumber: NCP over Pune rains

As flooding and wall collapse incidents, triggered by heavy rains, claimed at least 12 lives in Pune, the NCP on Thursday alleged that Maharashtra's disaster management cell was in a "deep slumber".

NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik also accused Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of being "imbued only with polls and nothing else", as he observed that the latter was in New Delhi to attend a poll-related meetings of BJP leaders.

"The chief minister is so imbued with the BJP and polls that he sees nothing else...these people are not concerned about the crisis people are faced with. They are only worried about retaining power," Malik said.

The disaster management cell of the state is in a deep slumber, he added.

Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar urged the people to maintain caution given the situation and asked the chief minister to restore normalcy in parts of the district, where roads caved in and bridges got washed away.

The former Maharashtra deputy chief minister also said that 224 families and 602 cattle have been shifted to safer places in the rural areas of Baramati, the Assembly segment he represents.

"Tributes to those who lost their lives in the mishaps," Pawar tweeted.

At least 12 people were killed in various incidents of flooding and wall collapse after heavy rains battered Pune district, officials said on Thursday.

Nearly 10,500 people from several water-logged areas were shifted to safer places so far following heavy showers in the district on Wednesday, they said.