In the wake of the rain causing widespread damage in Kodagu last year, heads of all the departments concerned should prepare action plans to mitigate the loss that rain and floods may cause during the forthcoming monsoon season in the district, K.A. Dayanand, Deputy Commissioner, said.

He was speaking at a meeting here on Friday to review the district’s preparations to tackle natural disasters.

He said that though the district received heavy rain during August 2018, there was not much damage to public property and infrastructure. Engineers serving with the Public Works and the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) departments should visit spots vulnerable to damage by rain and floods and take measures to avert the same, he said.

Accidental drowning

Concerned over the increase in deaths of children by accidentally drowning in waterbodies in the district, he directed the Deputy Director of Department of Public Instruction to conduct a study on such incidents reported in the district in the past three years and prepare a report on measures to be taken to prevent the mishaps. He stressed upon the need to hold awareness programmes at schools on such mishaps.

Tremors

Referring to the tremors reported in the vicinity of Mani reservoir in the district recently, he said that a proposal would be submitted to the State government to establish a seismic tomography imaging centre in Hosanagar taluk. He directed RDPR officials to take measures to provide connectivity for Bichodi village in Mani reservoir backwater region during monsoon.

He also asked Public Works officials to take measures to prevent landslips along Hulikal Ghat during the monsoon.

K. Shivarame Gowda, ZP CEO, and H.T. Sehkhar, Additional Superintendent of Police, were present.