With intense heat prevailing across the Erode district, local bodies were asked to ensure availability of drinking water and buttermilk in places where people gather in large numbers.
On Wednesday, May 8, 2024 G. Prakash, Principal Secretary/Commissioner, Directorate of Agricultural Marketing and Agri Business, in the presence of Collector Raja Gopal Sunkara, held a consultative meeting with officials at the Collectorate on the precautionary measures need to be taken to ensure regular drinking water supply and to face heat wave conditions.
Mr. Prakash said drinking water and butter milk should be made available to the people at bus stands and places of worship and other places where people gather in large numbers. “Local bodies should make necessary arrangements,” he said. The officer said officials of various departments should work in coordination to ensure continuous drinking water supply and asked them to ensure proper maintenance of water storage tanks. “The quality of drinking water supplied to people should be tested by health inspectors in the corporation and all local bodies,” he stressed.
Officials from the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board (TWAD) corporation, municipalities, town panchayats and village panchayats explained the quantum of drinking water required and supplied to people everyday while the chance of creating new water sources was also discussed. Corporation officials said they had placed water pots at bus stands, college bus stops, Uzhavar Sandhais and public places for the benefit of the people.
He said guidelines issued by the Disaster Management Department during summer should be followed by all the departments and awareness is created among the people. “All government offices should have drinking water facility, seating arrangements,” he said and asked officials to expedite the process of solving grievances of elderly persons. He said oral rehydration solutions (ORS) should be available at all the primary health centres and in public places. Also, the forest department should take precautionary measures to prevent the outbreak of forest fire and fill the tanks with water for wild animals, he added. Mr. Prakash asked people to avoid venturing out from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and ensure they stay hydrated.
Project Director of District Rural Development Agency, Narnaware Manish Shankarrao, Corporation Commissioner V. Sivakrishnamurthy, District Revenue Officer S. Shantha Kumar and officials from various departments were present.
