Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
An expert officer in the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) City Disaster Management, Dr Murali Krishna Reddy, expressed his concern over the rapid growth in the construction of houses on agricultural land rather than non-agricultural land. “Agricultural land surrounding the city is rapidly being converted into plots. Around 59% of agricultural land is being used for constructing houses,” said Dr Reddy. He provided details on various aspects during a workshop held in the city on Wednesday. He said, “A report on natural disasters in the city is being prepared jointly by the UNDP, the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation, and the Smart City Office. This report studies the city's strengths and identifies which natural and man-made disasters the city may face in the future. The city's area has expanded to 178 square kilometres, and old or dilapidated buildings could pose a problem in the future.”
“The risk of earthquakes in the city is very low. However, from an environmental perspective, the heat levels are rapidly increasing. Efforts need to be made to increase the number of trees in urban areas and implement initiatives like terrace gardens. Industrial companies using chemicals and flammable materials should be located away from the city. Fire incidents are increasing in the city and they could have been prevented, but the municipal corporation's fire brigade section is deprived of advanced technology,” stressed Dr Reddy.
When strong winds blow, large hoardings are at risk. Hence these hoardings should undergo regular audits. During festivals, traffic congestion becomes a major issue in the city. Similarly, traffic conditions also worsen during large events. Hence there is a need for timely measures to address these challenges, emphasized Dr Reddy also mentioning that truck drivers transporting LPG and chemicals should not be assigned work for more than eight hours.
CSMC administrator hopes
While concluding the workshop, CSMC administrator G Sreekanth expressed some expectations. He mentioned that the report should include details on the locations of hospitals and specialized doctors. The city is expected to grow rapidly after 2028, and in light of this, citizens should also be trained in Natural Disaster Management. He also pointed out that encroachments around drains could become a problem in the future.