Congress to file PIL in HC over Maharashtra deluge

Mumbai: The Congress announced on Friday that it would file a public interest litigation (PIL) before the Bombay high court on the deluge in Maharashtra. Congress poll committee chairman Nana Patole said that the party would also file a case under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa.

Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan, Mr Patole claimed that under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the chief minister, who is also chairman of the committee, could be prosecuted under the section 302 of the IPC — which deals with murder.

Mr Patole blamed the state government for failing to maintain Almatti Dam’s water level at 40 per cent of its capacity. The Congress leader was citing an often-followed rule of keeping the Karnataka-based dam’s water level at 40 per cent in August every year.

“As the water from Almatti dam was not discharged, the water made its way to Sangli district as a result the flood took place and led the death of people and cattle,” Mr Patole alleged.

Earlier, the former Bhandara-Gondiya MP had written to chief secretary Ajoy Mehta, who is also chairman of the executive committee of the state disaster management unit, seeking action against Mr Fadnavis and other ministers for failing to handle relief operations.