The district consultative meeting on the administrative preparedness ahead of the South-West monsoon was held here under the aegis of Collector S. Malarvizhi on Tuesday.
The meeting attended by all line departments sought to ascertain the preparedness of each department and the disaster-related interventions expected of the departments in the event of monsoon triggered disasters.
Low-lying areas
Revenue officials have been directed to be cautious and take precautionary measures to warn people living in low-lying areas, and along the rivers. Revenue officials, based on the rainfall alerts and forecast are required to provide regular alerts to the public. Where pre-emptive evacuation is required, evacuation will be carried without delay, the officials were told at the meeting. Buildings will be identified to function as relief centre. Adequate food will be made available to those evacuated and housed in the relief centres, in times of monsoon related disasters, officials were told.
Fire and rescue personnel are required to be adequately equipped with rescue equipment for rescue and relief operations, the Collector said.
TANGEDCO staff have been asked to organise teams on standby to snap power supply during heavy rains and also to restore power lines, where they are felled by heavy rains.
Similarly, Public Works Department should stock up enough sand bags to set up bunds to prevent flooding. The PWD was also asked to remove encroachments from water bodies to ensure rain water drainage and prevent inundations into habitations.
Further, the Food and Civil Supplies department staff were directed to ascertain food stocks and kerosene availability to tide through any potential disaster, its relief and management.
The public may seek out information from the district administration on its toll free number 1077, 1800 424 7016, 1800 425 1071, 890 389 1077.