Incessant rainfall in Western Ghats triggers flood fears in Belagavi district
Belagavi: Continuous heavy rainfall in the Western Ghats and the catchment areas of major rivers has raised concerns over potential flooding in Belagavi district. The region has been receiving significant downpours for the past three days, leading to a sharp increase in water levels at the Naviluteertha and Hidkal reservoirs.
Belagavi city itself has been experiencing unrelenting rainfall over the past few days, resulting in a noticeable drop in temperatures and heightening concerns about an outbreak of waterborne diseases. The situation is further aggravated by heavy rainfall in the Koyna, Mahabaleshwar, Warana, and Kolhapur regions of neighboring Maharashtra, which has intensified fears of flooding in Belagavi district.
According to the Revenue Department, Kanakumbi in Khanapur taluk received 130 mm of rain in 24 hours, while other areas such as Asoga, Gunji, Londa, Nagargali, Jamboti, Khanapur, and Kakkeri reported rainfall between 55 mm and 95 mm. The Krishna River, one of the main rivers in the region, recorded a water flow of 65,000 cusecs near Kalloli in Chikkodi taluk on Monday. Other rivers, including the Malaprabha, Mahadayi, and Pandari, are also swollen, further exacerbating the situation.
The heavy rainfall has disrupted daily life in Belagavi district, with several bridges over the Vedaganga and Doodhganga rivers submerged once again. Many villagers are facing difficulties as both bridges and roads leading to their villages are flooded, bringing agricultural activities to a standstill.
The Naviluteertha reservoir, which has a capacity of 37.7 tmcft, currently holds 35.6 tmcft of water. On Monday, the reservoir recorded an inflow of 11,615 cusecs, prompting the release of 9,444 cusecs of water. Executive Engineer Vivek Mudigaudar has advised residents living near the river to remain vigilant as the outflow increases.
Meanwhile, the Hidkal reservoir, with a capacity of 51 tmcft, has reached 50.2 tmcft. The reservoir recorded an inflow of 14,588 cusecs on Monday, and the outflow was increased to 16,833 cusecs. This has led to flooding of bridges and barrages in Mudalagi taluk, disrupting traffic in more than 20 villages.
Revenue Department officials have assured that the flood situation has not yet reached a critical level. They remain in constant contact with relevant authorities to manage the situation and mitigate any potential risks.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
