CHENNAI: Even as the State braces up to tackle a “severe cyclonic storm” that is likely to cross Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mamallapuram on Wednesday, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday chaired a high-level meeting to assess its impending impact. He announced precautionary measures, including suspension of bus services in seven districts – Pudukkottai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Cuddalore, Villupuram and Chengalpattu – from Tuesday noon, until further orders.
Palaniswami also made an appeal to the people asking them not to venture out in the coming couple of days (November 24 and 25), except for essential needs, as there were high chances of trees getting uprooted due to the strong winds triggered by Cyclone Nivar. He also asked the public to act as per the weather instructions given by the authorities through battery-operated radios. Stating that the wind speed was expected to be around 120 kmph, the CM also advised fishermen not to venture into the sea.
Additionally, six teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) should be stationed in Cuddalore and two teams in Chennai with necessary equipment, said Palaniswami. A direction has been given to the relief and rescue teams, comprising those from various government departments, to reach the seven districts on Monday evening with sufficient number of JCBs, lorries, electric tree-cutting equipment, sand bags, electrical poles and fuel.
Directing officials to keep drinking water, toilets, generators, rice and other essential cooking commodities, and blankets ready at relief camps, Palaniswami also asked people residing in areas prone to be affected by heavy rains to be moved there. Also, sufficient quantities of sanitizers, face masks etc., should be kept ready at all such camps.
The Chief Minister also advised the public to keep important documents, such as Aadhaar card, Driving License, Voter’s ID, ration card, bank passbooks, educational certificates, and land documents, safe, besides keeping battery-operated torches, candles and matchboxes handy. Public are also advised not to go near electric poles, transformers or touch them and that they should handle electric equipment with extra care.
To ensure uninterrupted supply of drinking water, tanks should be filled in advance and generators kept ready. Storage levels of large lakes and dams should also be constantly monitored and sufficient number of sandbags kept ready to repair any breach in the banks of these water resources, he advised.
Revenue department officials were also asked to keep their vigil along water resources to prevent people from gathering in such locations. Arrangements should be made to prevent paddy bags that are kept at Direct Procurement Centres from getting wet in the rains.
Fishermen should keep their livelihood resources such as catamarans, motor boats, fishing nets, etc., safely, and local bodies should keep sufficient number of pump sets to pull out stagnated water from the low-lying areas. Solid waste should also be removed immediately and such areas should be disinfected to prevent any communicable disease, he added.
Palaniswami also instructed that a sufficient quantum of vaccines, medicines, and green manure be kept ready in advance, along with mobile communication equipment. On behalf of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, as many as 1,000 workers should be deputed to areas prone to be affected, with additional electric poles, and transformers, he said, adding that sufficient stock of petrol and diesel should also be kept at bunks.
Earlier in the day, Revenue Minister RB Udhayakumar reviewed arrangements made to face the cyclone. The minister also advised parents not to send their children near water bodies. Chief Secretary K Shanmugam also held a meeting with all District Collectors and issued directions regarding precautionary measures.