CM sets disaster mgmt preps rolling ahead of monsoon

Panaji: Ahead of the upcoming monsoon season, chief minister Pramod Sawant on Monday held the year’s first meeting of the State Disaster Management Authority and said that he has instructed the water resources department (WRD) officials to carry out desiltation of the Chapora river over the next 15 days, as a preventive measure against flooding.
Goa recorded unprec-edented rainfall in July 2021, due to which nearly all of the rivers were in spate and flooding was experienced at Sal, Bicholim, on the banks of the Chapora river.
“Officials have been instructed to desilt the Cha-pora river at Sal as much as possible within the next 15 days so that no flooding takes place. At high tide, when water is released into the river (from the Tillari reservoir when the dam reaches full capacity during the monsoon), it takes time to subside. If the river is desilted, the water will flow faster downstream,” said Sawant.
He said that officials have also been instructed to expedite all ongoing works related to the Smart City project in Panaji so that the state capital does not experience flooding during the monsoons.
“The Smart City commissioner has been asked to carry out day-to-day inspections. All roads will be restored by May 30. Not a single road will be left dug up. We will take all precautions on our end so that no flooding occurs. WRD has been instructed to install a new pumping station at Mala to prevent flooding,” said Sawant.
All departments connected with disaster management were present at Monday’s meeting.
“We have also already trained apada mitras (disaster management volunteers). Once trained, they will be sent to work under departments like the police, tourism, or human resources corporation. We will now allot them the work so that they continue to receive disaster management training from time to time,” the chief minister said.
The CM also appealed to all Goans to download the Sachet app of the national disaster management authority. In case of a disaster, citizens can send an alert on this app.
“Each department’s role in disaster management was discussed again. All of them have begun work as per instructions issued to them, so no incidents or accidents take place during the monsoons. We have prepared the required human resources for them. We are alert 24x7 both at the collector and deputy collector levels. We cannot stop natural calamities from taking place. But, as people experienced the last time around, water and power supplies and roads were restored immediately,” said Sawant.