Mumbai: The Bombay high court has disposed of a petition seeking action against officers of the state disaster management authority for the recent flooding in parts of western Maharashtra.

The court, while disposing of the petition, said that fixing responsibility on concerned officials and issuing directions of inquiry in the incident was the complete discretion of the state government.

Raosaheb Alse and journalist Rajendra Patil had filed the PIL in the high court, alleging lethargy on the part of the administration in releasing excess water from the dams. He also sought action against concerned officials and adequate compensation for the victims like the Karnataka government had declared in their state.

Chief Justice Pradip Nandrajog and Bharti Dangre Wednesday disposed of the petition.

Congress leader Dr Sanjay Lakhe Patil had also written a letter to the Chief Justice, wherein he demanded that the floods be declared a man-made disaster because despite knowing about the heavy downpour, the state disaster management authority (SDMA) failed to take action for six days.

Dr Lakhe-Patil’s letter further stated that the collector of Kolhapur, who was also a chairman of the district (DMA), contacted the SDMA officials on July 1 and said that if the heavy downpour continued longer, water logging would be seen in the district.

He also brought to the attention of the SDMA that if water from the Koyana, Almatti and Hippargi dams was not released well in advance, the Satara, Sangli, and Kolhapur districts would have to face a devastating situation. Dr Lakhe-Patil alleged that notwithstanding, no steps were taken by the SDMA.