LUDHIANA: Deputy commissioner
Pradeep Kumar Agrawal on Thursday reviewed arrangements for dealing with floods in the
district.
Chairing a high-level meeting of all departments at the Bachat Bhawan, the DC instructed the officials to constantly coordinate with each other via WhatsApp group to closely monitor the situations in the monsoon season.
He ordered the officials to keep their mobiles ‘switched on’ round the clock and any kind of indiscipline will not be tolerated. He suggested them to share information about situation regularly in the group.
Agrawal said, “As per the meteorological department, heavy rain is expected in several parts of the state during the monsoon season. The sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) should install wireless public address system in one vehicle to alert the people in the situation of floods.”
“NDRF and Army officials too should take stock of sensitive places along with administration teams before the monsoon season starts. The irrigation department’s officials will ensure cleanliness of distributaries to save crops in the situation of flood and MC commissioner, executive officers and deputy director, local bodies, will have the responsibility of clearing drains,” the DC said.
The DC said SDMs would ensure working of the
flood control rooms round the clock and asked them to depute employees in shifts for the purpose.
He also instructed executive engineer, drainage, to keep a close vigil on all spots which were identified as sensitive during the inspections. The deputy commissioner asked the SDMs to make adequate arrangements to meet any sort of situation season and sufficient stock of boats, oars, life-saving jackets, motor engines, sandbags, wireless system, manpower, machinery, and tarpaulins should be ensured.
Additional deputy commissioners (ADC) Jagraon Neeru Katyal Gupta, ADC Khanna Ajay Sood and heads of departments were present in the meeting who briefed the DC about the flood arrangements and also informed him that safe places have been earmarked where residents of flood-affected areas will be shifted if required.