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CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

The Calamity
Maharashtra witnessed the worst ever torrential rainfall between 24 July and 5 August 2005, followed by successive spells of flood in all the four regions, viz., Konkan, Marathwada, Vidarbha and Western Maharashtra. It was a statewide disaster, leaving a trail of destruction and devastation in 33 out of 34 districts, of which four1 districts were the most affected. The capital city of Mumbai witnessed 94.4 cm of rainfall within 18 hours on 26 July 2005. This, coupled with high tide crippled the city. (Photograph showing Mumbai city - inundated on 26 July 2005)
More than 1100 persons and 27000 cattle died in the disaster. More than 17,000 houses were fully damaged, while 3.50 lakh houses were partially damaged. Crops grown over 10 lakh hectares of land were damaged. The overall losses assessed by the Government of Maharashtra (GOM) was estimated at Rs 6000 crore (August/September 2005) and raised to Rs 10000 crore (February 2006). During monsoon 2006, Maharashtra again witnessed heavy rainfall followed by flood affecting 31 districts out of 34, of which four2 districts were most 1 Mumbai, Raigad, Sangli and Thane 2 Gondia, Kolhapur Nanded & Sangli Audit Report (Floods in Maharashtra) for the year ended 31 March 2006 affected. More than 400 persons died in the disaster. The crops were also damaged badly in over 10 lakh hectares of land. Assessment of sector wise losses was in progress. Rescue, relief operations and rehabilitation
More than five lakh people were evacuated and shifted to safer places, with the support of all the three wings of the armed forces, where they were provided with food and drinking water through community kitchens organised by voluntary organisations. Medical teams were deployed in all the affected districts for medical check-ups and sanitation programme. For arresting water borne diseases the Government provided Doxycycline capsules and also procured ventilators for giving immediate support to the critical patients admitted in various hospitals. Under sanitation drive, dumpers and Joseph Cyrll Bamford (JCB) equipments were deployed for disposing of animal carcass and garbage. The Government of India (GOI) had released Rs 167.18 crore under Calamity
Relief Fund in April 2005 and Rs 1019.48 crore under National Calamity
Contingency Fund in August 2005 for extending relief to various categories of
the flood affected persons, besides sanctioning 15000 tones of food grains.
The GOM had released (July 2005 to March 2006) Rs 1148.82 crore for flood
relief operations. During monsoon 2006, Rs 183.50 crore were released from
the state contingency fund. The amount included Rs 105 crore for Civic
amenities. The nature of relief to be extended, category wise, is given in
Appendix I.
1.3 Organisational
Overall responsibility of extending relief and rehabilitation measures was with
the Secretary, Relief and Rehabilitation Wing in Revenue and Forests
Department. The Secretary is assisted by six Commissioners at Divisions and
34 Collectors at district levels. The Collectors are assisted by the Sub
Divisional Officers and Tahsildars at Taluka levels. The relief measures to the
affected farmers were also extended through Commissioner of Agriculture,
who was also reporting to the Secretary, Revenue and Forests Department.
Detailed organisational chart is given as Appendix II.
1.4 Audit
objectives
The performance audit of the expenditure incurred on preparedness for flood and relief and rehabilitation of flood victims was conducted with a focus on three principal themes of Disaster Management, Rescue and Relief operations and Monitoring and Reporting. The audit objectives were to assess whether: ¾ the preparedness for disaster management was adequate, effective institutional mechanism and organisational structure existed for disaster management, Chapter I – The calamity
the relief measures were executed in an efficient and effective manner to all the affected people in accordance with the norms set, rehabilitation measures were timely and in accordance with the norms set, requirement of funds was realistically assessed on the basis of surveys, estimates and inputs received from the district authorities, the adequate monitoring, and reporting systems were in place and the corrective action taken during the flood in 2006. 1.5 Audit
criteria
Criteria adopted to achieve the audit objectives were: ¾ Model Action Plan-1981 framed by GOI for management for floods. Norms laid down in ‘Standing Orders-1983’ and subsequent resolutions issued thereunder for extending relief and rehabilitation measures. State Government instructions/orders relating to works, relief etc. issued from time to time. Audit scope and methodology
Ten3 districts (out of 33 affected), involving expenditure of Rs 781.37 crore, out of Rs 1148.82 crore spread over all the four regions of the State, were selected for audit scrutiny (Flood 2005). Four4 districts of those affected by flood damages during monsoon 2006 involving expenditure of Rs 31.60 crore were also selected. The performance audit conducted (between January and May 2006, September and October 2006) involved scrutiny of records maintained in the Secretariat of Relief and Rehabilitation Department, 10 District Collectorates, five Zilla Parishads, two Municipal Corporations and three Municipal Councils, five Works Divisions, four District Supply Officers, nine District Superintending Agricultural Officers and Director of Sugar for the period 2005-06. The exercise also involved examination of Insurance Policies of the affected shopkeepers, artisans, etc. to whom the relief was paid. An entry conference was held on 15 March 2006 with the Secretary, Relief and Rehabilitation Department. The exit conference was held on 07 September 2006 with the Secretary, Relief and Rehabilitation Department and their comments received upto December 2006 were considered while finalising the review. The details of expenditure covered under samples and percentage of
expenditure objected with reference to sample during the year 2005-06 and
2006-07 in the selected districts is given in Appendix III. The audit findings
are given in following Chapters.
3 Bhandara, Gondia, Kolhapur, Mumbai, Nanded, Parbhani, Pune, Raigad, Sangli & Thane 4 Gondia, Kolhapur, Nanded and Sangli

Source: http://agmaha.cag.gov.in/Audit%20Reports/Pr_Aud_Mum/2005-06/civil%20performance/civilper_chap_1.pdf