Maharashtra minister Shamburaj Desai reviews rain situation in Thane; asks police to step up patrolling

Maharashtra Minister Shamburaj Desai on  directed the police to step up night patrolling in Thane district during monsoon. Desai, who was reviewing the rainfall and flood situation in the district, said the police were the first point of contact for people during calamities and hence, all machineries should be at hand even at night.Collector Ashok Shingare, police commissioner Jai Jeet Singh, Thane municipal commissioner Abhijit Bangar, his Navi Mumbai counterpart Rajesh Narvekar and other senior officials and legislators attended the review meet.

As the rain situation prevails Maharashtra, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an 'orange alert' for Sunday in Palghar, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts, and a 'yellow alert' to Mumbai predicting heavy rainfall again. The landslide in Irshalwadi tribal hamlet of Raigad district, caused by the heavy rainfall, has resulted in at least 27 deaths, and over 78 people are still reported missing. Chief minister Eknath Shinde met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday and informed him about the prevailing flood and landslide situation caused by incessant rain. The Shiv Sena announced that the chief minister would adopt children who lost both parents in the landslide.