CHENNAI: The key departments of the Tamil Nadu government are gearing up to face the ensuing northeast monsoon just a month away. Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, who chaired the monsoon preparedness meeting, attended by Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, senior ministers and officials, here on Monday, directed the officials to keep ready the sawing machines and high-capacity motors to remove the fallen trees from the stagnating water. The rescue teams should be positioned in places from where they can easily reach the rain-affected areas at short notice, he said.
Stating that the secretaries and heads of all departments should work in tandem to prevent loss of life and assets, the CM sanctioned Rs 38.52 crore for procuring modern equipment to strengthen the Tamil Nadu Disaster Response Force. He also instructed that bleaching powder and medicines be kept ready for preventing the spread of communicable diseases. Government and private hospitals should be kept in preparedness and essential commodities required for two months kept in stock, he said.
Palaniswami said all officials involved in disaster-related activities should install the mobile app for Tamil Nadu System for Multi-hazard Impact Assessment, Alert and Emergency Response Planning and Tracking (TNSMART) and popularise it among the public.
As many 4,399 flood-prone areas have been identified and for these areas, 662 zonal teams comprising personnel from various departments constituted. A total of 30,759 first responders including 9,162 women are ready to face all eventualities during the monsoon period. Besides, 3,824 first responders have been identified for removing the trees that might fall during heavy rains on roads.
As permanent flood prevention measures, encroachments have been removed from 3,652 riverbeds and blocks removed from 1,01,582 minor bridges and 6,320 bridges. As many as 121 multipurpose centres, 4,768 schools, 1095 colleges, 2,394 wedding halls and community halls were kept ready. In the districts, 3,915 sawing machines, 2,897 JCBs, 2,115 generators and 483 pumps are kept ready.
Chennai likely to receive light showers
Chennai: For the next three days, heavy to very heavy rain is likely to occur in many parts of Tamil Nadu due to a depression in the Bay of the Bengal. Chennai is likely to receive light to moderate rainfall over the next two days said an update from the Regional Meteorological Centre on Monday and will have cloudy skies till Friday. Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram will receive heavy rainfall till Friday, said N Puviarasan, director of the centre. Fishermen have been asked not stay put till Thursday due to strong winds.