Mumbai: Chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said the state government will constitute a committee to recommend steps to restrict development in eco-sensitive zones in the Western Ghats in the wake of the recent landslides in Western Maharashtra and Konkan. Thackeray reiterated his stand against illegal structures and encroachments near rivers and in eco-sensitive zones and said that a comprehensive decision on the matter would be taken by appointing an expert committee. He said it was time to take a few stringent decisions to avoid natural calamities like the ones witnessed in Western Maharashtra and Konkan last week.

The CM visited flood-hit Sangli and Kolhapur on Monday and took stock of damages. He said the state is studying all the reports submitted by expert groups on ecology, flooding, and recommendations for correctional steps. He said that besides rehabilitation of villages that are vulnerable to flooding and events like landslides, there needs to be a change in policies related to development works. He added that illegal constructions and encroachments in floodplains and riverbanks need to be removed. He added that the government is also tapping the idea of diverting flood water to drought-affected areas.

“The reports submitted by Vadnere and other committees have indeed been gathering dust, but I have asked the administration to revisit them and come up with a comprehensive plan to take steps to avoid any such calamity in the future. If it is not done now, it will be too late. We are constituting a committee to recommend the steps to be taken to save eco-sensitive zones and also for flood management. It is high time to chalk out a policy for development works in eco-sensitive areas. After all, there is a limit to the capacity of nature’s tolerance. Development is important, but at the same time protection of ecology is more important. If the need is, we will also change development plans designed for the districts as per the changed situation,” he said. Thackeray urged the people in the respective districts to cooperate with the authorities in implementing stricter policies in the wake of the floods that caused damages in Sangli, Kolhapur, Satara, Ratnagiri, Raigad and Sindhudurg. As many as 219 people died in flooding and landslide and six are still missing, while 52 have been injured in rain-related incidents since July 22.

The CM said, “The frequency of these natural calamities has shrunk, and they have become severe. Seasonal rainfall is recorded in just a few days, leading to the devastating effect”.

He said the state has requested the Centre for change in the National Disaster Response Fund allotment to increase the financial aid for the people affected by natural calamity. Thackeray said he has written a letter to Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman requesting her to direct the bank and insurance companies to be lenient while settling claims against the losses and giving loans to the affected people.