Teams of Block Development Officers and Tahsildars have been entrusted with identification of low-lying areas in their respective Taluks to gauge the extent of evacuation and relief required under their jurisdiction, in the event of breaches and floods. This arrangement was chalked out at the flood consultative meeting, presided over by Minister for Fisheries K.A.Jayapal, to ascertain the preparatory apparatus in place under the administration here on Thursday.
Such identification of low-lying areas shall also entail ascertaining the total population that will have to be brought under administrative support system and relief operations. Officials have also been directed to list out all potential evacuation housing centres including community and marriage halls, schools and public spaces. Such evacuation centres would be prepared to meet the basic amenity requirements including quality food, water and sanitation.
Addressing the line departments, the Minister underlined that that each district prone to the ravages of North East monsoon has been allocated with a Minister to spearhead monsoon preparedness of the administration.
According to Mr.Jayapal, Nagapattinam, being the tail-end district was also the drainage district, with rainfall of the entire central region received draining into the sea here. This has increased the district's vulnerability and therefore it was through proper administrative coordination that potential disasters could be buffered.
The meeting also took stock of projects underway to strengthen embankments along drainage channels in Kollidam. The status of works on the retaining wall under construction from Anaikudi-Panakaataankudi upto Mahendranpalli village in Kollidam was appraised. The 16-meter high retaining wall was being constructed at a cost of Rs.86 crore here in this part of the district.
A 150-meter long concrete retaining wall has been set up at Thiruvaaimur village. Further, project reports will be made for similar retaining walls in other vulnerable drainage villages in consultation with the govenrment, the Minister said.
