``No doubt the rain played havoc in Bhiwandi, Manor and other villages in Thane district, but the release of water from these dams caused even more damage,'' he told the media after an aerial survey of Thane district.

Bhujbal, who was revenue minister in the erstwhile Congress government, said it is routine for the Irrigation Department to issue a notice to both the Revenue Department and villagers so that precautions can be taken.

``During my visit to the affected villages, most of them complained that water from the Surya and Vaitarna dams was released without informing them,'' he added.

Bhujbal said he was pleasantly surprised by Chief Minister Manohar Joshi's offer to provide him a government helicopter for his survey. ``I was planning tosurvey the area by road. However, when I reached Bhiwandi, I was told by the local administration that owing to heavy rains, the other part of Thane district had been cut off. When I took up the matter with the chief minister, he immediately agreed to provide me the helicopter,'' he said.

Bhujbal has also urged the government to increase the compensation being doled out to the devastated villagers. ``Since they have lost everything, the Rs 600 announced by the chief minister is too meagre. The government should release at least Rs 3,000 per person,'' he added.

He has also demanded that the villagers be exempted from payment of electricity charges for six months, that traders and small businessmen be provided interest-free loans and that farmers should be given financial assistance amounting to Rs 5,000 per acre.

Bhujbal said the Congress will launch a massive relief campaign from tomorrow.