CUDDALORE: A review meeting to assess preparedness for the 2025 southwest monsoon was held at the collectorate conference hall under the chairmanship of Collector Sibi Adhithya Senthil Kumar.
The Collector said, "As the Southwest Monsoon is set to begin, Village Administrative Officers must identify low-lying areas prone to water stagnation and issue public advisories. Details of first informants on waterlogging should be recorded. Around 5,000 first responders will be positioned at the revenue village and taluk levels, and 800 at the district level."
He instructed, "Zonal Officers and Tahsildars should jointly identify vulnerable areas and take preventive measures. VAOs, village assistants, assistant agricultural officers, village health nurses, and voluntary organisations must coordinate with village-level committees for flood relief."
The collector added, "In flood-prone areas, people must be relocated to safe shelters and provided with essentials. Relief materials should be kept ready and special care must be given to the elderly and persons with disabilities."
He further said, "Waterbodies must be inspected and embankments strengthened. Sluice gates must be repaired. Equipment such as tree-cutting machines, JCBs, flashlights, water pumps, and bleaching powder should be stocked. Fire and health personnel must raise public awareness. Water tanks must be cleaned and chlorinated. Sewage contamination must be prevented. Disinfectants should be sprayed in stagnant areas."
He said that mock drills must be conducted, VHF communication equipment must be functional and cyclone shelter repairs should be reported to the PWD.
"Community halls, colleges, and marriage halls must be inspected for use as shelters. Crop patterns must be documented. Dangerous buildings must be evacuated. Swimmer and boat operator contacts must be maintained. Bridges and roads must be kept ready with sandbags and barricades. Fallen tree removal teams and contact details of equipment operators must be arranged," he added.
Sibi Adhithya added, "PHCs must stock medicines. Medical staff should be on 24x7 duty. Preventive steps must be taken against dengue. Unsafe school buildings must be identified. PWD and Highways may extract sand for flood works."
"Grain godowns and ration shops must maintain stocks. Shops in low-lying areas should be relocated," he said. He concluded, "TNEB must ensure uninterrupted power. Transformers and poles must be inspected, trimmed, or replaced as required." District Superintendent of Police S Jeyakumar and other officials were present.