RPI chief Athawale to give Rs 25 lakh for Malin victims

Republican Party of India (RPI) chief Ramdas Athawale today said that he will be allocating Rs 25 lakhs for the rehabilitation of landslide struck victims of Malin village in Pune district from his MP funds.

"When I visited the landslide-hit village, I saw that most of the village had been washed away. The villagers are in dire need of rehabilitation now. For this purpose I have decided to allocate Rs 25 lakhs for the rehabilitation of the victims," he said, speaking to PTI.

Athawale had visited the ill-fated village on Wednesday and said the plight of the victims left him deeply pained.

He also vowed to contribute one month's salary as Rajya Sabha MP for the rehabilitation of the victims.

Athawale added that he has requested the government to shift villages in the vicinity to a safer place.

"There are 54 villages in the vicinity of the village where the landslide created havoc. I have requested the government to make sure that these villages are not left susceptible to nature's fury," Athawale said.

He said that a demand will be placed before the state government to form a committee that will examine each village in the most remote areas in Maharashtra which are most prone to such catastrophe.

"We have demanded that an expert committee should be formed that will tour the entire state and submit a report on the villages where there is a danger of landslides. All such villages should be shifted to safer areas and at the same time villagers could continue with their agricultural activities," he said.

Athawale added that attempts will be made to get additional funds from the Central government to relocate such villages.