Will urge minister Vikhe Patil to order probe into flooding in Nanded's Hasnal village: MLA Rathod

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Aug 20 (PTI) MLA Tushar Rathod has said that he would urge Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil to order a probe into the flooding at Hasnal in Nanded district, where at least four persons died amid heavy rains.

Heavy rains wreaked havoc in Nanded district on Tuesday, with floodwaters entering about 80 per cent of Hasnal in Mukhed taluka.

A defence release had said that five persons were reported missing in the village, and the bodies of four were recovered subsequently.

BJP legislator Rathod, who represents the Mukhed constituency, told reporters on Tuesday that he decided to demand a probe after meeting locals. Water from the minor irrigation Lendi project caused the flooding, he said.

“When the first phase of the Lendi project was completed, people were assured by the administration that its water wouldn’t reach their village as the project would have a stock of only 30 per cent of its capacity.

“The village is located at a higher elevation. However, the water (from the Lendi project) still flooded about 80 per cent of Hasnal. A few villagers said that the reservoir gates were opened late, causing a huge surge,” said Rathod.

A few others also claimed that it rained very heavily, he said, stressing that only a probe can determine what led to the flooding in Hasnal.

“I will request minister Vikhe Patil to launch a probe into this incident by not involving the project officials concerned. Responsibility must be fixed and no guilty person should be spared in this inquiry,” he added.

When people sought to know why Rathod reached the village late, he said, “I was caught up in a meeting in Mumbai on Monday. When I was returning via Pune, this incident occurred. I reached here (Nanded district) at 3 am, held meetings with officials subsequently and then came to the village.” PTI AW NR