Chennai: Chief Minister Vijay has ordered ministers and officials to immediately complete the unfinished drinking water, sewage canal, and road works before the onset of the northeast monsoon.
An inspection meeting on the precautionary measures to be taken in view of the northeast monsoon was held yesterday at the Secretariat under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Vijay.
In this meeting, precautionary measures to be taken before the northeast monsoon in the districts of Chennai, Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore, Villupuram, and Tiruvannamalai were discussed.
The instructions given by Chief Minister Vijay at the meeting were as follows: During the past monsoon seasons, the works being carried out in flood-affected areas and other regions should be inspected at least twice a week by teams comprising ministers and senior officials.
Precautionary measures should be implemented to address the shortcomings identified during the inspections.
As far as the Chennai Corporation is concerned, the Corporation administration, Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Police Department, Fire and Rescue Services Department, Department of Medical and Public Health, Fisheries Department, Electricity Board, and Chennai Metro Rail Limited should coordinate and take action together.
Action should be taken to remove water hyacinth from water bodies so that rainwater can drain quickly, and to desilt canals and stormwater drains. Immediate steps should be taken to complete the drinking water, sewage, and road works that remain unfinished before the northeast monsoon begins.
Electric poles that are in a state of breaking and falling, as well as weakened electric poles, should be repaired immediately by the electricity department.
During the rainy season, precautionary measures should be taken to ensure that electric poles do not cause any loss of life.
Areas where floodwater has accumulated heavily on roads in the past should be inspected in person, and appropriate measures should be taken to prevent floodwater from stagnating.
Motor pumps to immediately drain floodwater, electric saws to remove trees fallen on roads, JCBs, and boats to safely evacuate people from areas where rainwater has accumulated should be kept ready.
Community kitchens should be kept ready to provide food and safe drinking water to people housed in relief camps. He gave these instructions.
Ministers N. Anand, Adhav Arjuna, Ko. Ka. Arunraj, K.A. Sengottaiyan, T.K. Prabhu, M. Vijay Balaji, Chief Secretary M. Sai Kumar, and department secretaries, along with DGP Mahesh Kumar Agarwal, participated in the meeting. District collectors from Chennai, Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore, Villupuram, and Tiruvannamalai also took part via video conference.