Be available 24x7 in rains, TMC staff told

Thane: Thane municipal commissioner Abhijit Bangar has warned officials of stern action against those who fail to report to work or remain inaccessible during emergencies, citing excuses like low mobile battery or poor network issues.
Bangar was addressing officials at a meeting ahead of monsoon, where he said coordinating officers of all departments should be accessible or available over the phone 24x7. He issued a stern warning to officials against switching off their mobile phones, citing excuses like not in coverage area or mobile battery has drained out, especially in times of emergencies.
Considering the necessity of prompt decentralised availability of medication during the monsoon, he instructed the health department to ensure adequate stock medicines for seasonal maladies including snake bites at primary health centres. Emphasis should be on localised treatment instead of patients having to travel to CSM hospital, he said. Bangar also directed his teams to coordinate with the electricity department. —Manoj Badgeri