For the first time in the history of the Maharashtra legislature, proceedings in both the Houses had to be adjourned for the entire day during the ongoing Monsoon Session in Nagpur on Friday, following the inundation of the premises and consequent disruption in power supply triggered by torrential rain that wreaked havoc in the Orange City.
While no business was transacted in the State Assembly during the day, the Council was adjourned within seven minutes after the start of the proceedings.
The State legislature building plunged into darkness, as the authorities cut off power supply as a precautionary measure after the ground floor – where the transformer room is located — was flooded with rain water.
After the proceedings in both the Houses were adjourned till Monday, the Opposition parties and the Shiv Sena slammed the Devendra Fadnavis Government for its failure to ensure against the flooding of the lower portions of the legislature and consequent disruption in power supply.
Ironically enough, Nagpur – where in the normal course the winter session of the State legislature is held – is hosting the Monsoon Session of the legislature for the fourth time in the 58-year-long history of Maharashtra. It was Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ idea to host the Monsoon Session of the State legislature in Nagpur which is the second capital of Maharashtra,
“The developments that we witnessed today do not augur well for the BJP-led Government. We will remember July 6 as a black day in the history of Maharashtra legislature. Even if there is some rain-triggered flooding in Mumbai, everyone pillories the Shiv Sena-led Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for the lapse. Whom should we hold responsible for the Vidhan Bhavan premises in NagpurIJ,” Shiv Sena’s group leader in the house Sunil Prabhu asked.
On a day when the home city of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari virtually lay under thick sheets of water, the Opposition leaders singled out the two leaders and the BJP-controlled Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC).
“This is the state of affairs in the home city of Gadkari and Fadnavis. The State Government has a lot to answer for the flooding on the Vidhan Bhavan premises which led to the adjournment of the proceedings in the legislature. The drains and nallahs in Nagpur city have not been desilted well. The civic conservancy workers continue to find to empty liquor bottles in them. That is sorry state of affairs in Maharashtra,” former deputy chief minister and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar said.
“Nagpur is an important city and is the second capital of the state NMC is run by the BJP. The BJP should have created basic infrastructure to ensure against rain water entering the Vidhan Bhavan premises… To add to the woes, the area housing ministers’ bungalows and residential quarters of legislators is also flooded,” Prabhu said.
Hitting out at the Fadnavis Government for lack of planning to handle situations like the one witnessed on Friday, leader of the Opposition in the State legislative Council Dhananjay Munde said “This is the first time in the state’s history that a legislative session is adjourned due to lack of electricity… This reflects the State Government’s lack of planning and is the result of the chief minister’s “immature insistence” of holding the Monsoon Session in Nagpur without making the basic arrangements and despite opposition from many quarters.
Earlier in the morning, when the Assembly met at 10 am in pitch darkness, Speaker Haribhau Bagde adjourned the House for one hour saying that the power had been switched off due to water-logging in the transformer room of the legislature. With no improvement in the situation even when the House reassembled at 11 am. The Speaker adjourned the House for the entire day.
The proceedings in the House were adjourned within seven minutes, after the chief minister made a brief statement.