03 July,2024 07:49 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Ajit Pawar. File Photo
The Maharashtra government on Wednesday announced Rs 5 lakh aid to each victim's family who died in the Lonavala drowning tragedy.
Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar announced in the Maharashtra legislative assembly that families of the five individuals who tragically drowned near the Bhushi dam in Lonavala will receive financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each from the Chief Minister's relief fund.
Ajit Pawar emphasised that warning signs will be installed at hazardous tourist spots and prohibited areas to prevent such incidents in the future, reported PTI.
The incident occurred when five people, including a woman and four children, were swept away in a waterfall on June 30 near Bhushi Dam in Lonavala, a hill station in Pune district.
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NCP MLA Chetan Tupe raised the issue in the assembly, underscoring the lack of awareness among tourists about dangerous terrain during the monsoon season.
As per the news agency report, he demanded warning signs be placed prominently and that local authorities strictly enforce prohibitions.
Tupe claimed that the Ansari family, who tragically lost their lives in Lonavala, hailed from his constituency, Hadapsar, in Pune district of Maharashtra.
Pawar, also the guardian minister of Pune district, reportedly assured that district planning committees in all 36 districts would be instructed to install boards at hazardous spots and consider additional safety measures such as nylon nets and barricades.
"The families of the deceased victims of the Lonavala waterfall tragedy will receive Rs 5 lakh each as financial assistance from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund," Pawar asserted.
According to the PTI report, the Pune district administration imposed prohibitory orders at several popular picnic spots, including Bhushi Dam and the Pavana Dam region in Maval tehsil, effective from July 2 to 31 to ensure tourist safety during the monsoon season, in view of the Lonavala waterfall tragedy.
The administration has already outlined a series of safety measures for hazardous tourist locations, which include the identification and demarcation of dangerous areas, the presence of lifeguards and rescue teams, and the installation of warning boards, reported PTI.
Four people have drowned in the Pavana Dam since January 2024, according to the Lonavala police, reported PTI.
Rescue organisations like the Vanyajeev Rakshak Maval (VRM) reportedly recovered 27 bodies from various water bodies in Maval tehsil between March and May this year.
(with inputs from PTI)
