CHENNAI: A three-member Central team of experts on disaster management and mitigation visited Chennai and its suburbs on Thursday to have a first-hand assessment of the damage caused by the Northeast monsoon recently.
The team comprising Mukesh Kumar, Deputy Director, Department of Expenditure, Union Finance Ministry, S C Sharma, senior consultant, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, and G Naga Mohan, Director (Monitoring), Cauvery and other Rivers Organisation, CWC, Ministry of Water Resources, held a meeting with top Tamil Nadu Government officials, led by Revenue Secretary B Chandra Mohan before fanning out to various places.
A powerpoint presentation was made to elaborate the flood miseries and mitigation works in Chennai and its suburbs.
The team inspected Royapuram, Basin Bridge, Otteri and Anna Nagar before moving to the southern peripheries of Chennai city, an official said.
Accompanied by Chandra Mohan and the Commissioner of Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Agency (TNSDMA) Rajendra Ratnoo, the Central officials touched down on flood-prone areas including Poonamallee, Mudichur, Varadharajapuram and Kilkattalai where they were briefed on the impact of flood fury and the mitigation measures taken by the State government.
The officials inspected works for widening of Adyar riverbed and removal of encroachments, besides having a glimpse of flood mitigation activities in areas that fell under Tambaram municipality.
Office-bearers of Federation of Varadharajapuram Welfare Associations, led by president V Rajasekaran, submitted a memorandum to the visiting team demanding Central funds for permanent flood mitigation measures in their locality, highly vulnerable area.