The Dindigul district administration is all set to face the northeast monsoon with men and materials being kept ready at vantage points in ghat sections to clear debris in case of landslides and removal of uprooted trees.
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The district administration has been closely monitoring the works of local bodies in cleaning the drainage channels.
“Dindigul Corporation, all municipalities, town panchayats and village panchayats are involved in clearing blockades in the stormwater drainage channels and irrigation channels so that waterlogging and inundation are prevented by ensuring free flow of rain water,” Collector S. Visakan said.
The works were going on in full swing and would be completed by October 2, the Collector said.
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He further said the district faced landslides and falling of trees during the monsoon especially in the ghat sections of Kodaikanal and Palani. “We have kept ready teams from the departments of Forests, Fire and Rescue Services and Rural Development with adequate manpower and equipment to remove fallen trees and debris,” Mr. Visakan said.
The officials of each department have been instructed to restore vehicular traffic at the earliest. “Our response time to clear any fallen tree will be 30 minutes and road traffic will not held up for longer duration,” he added.
The Collector, along with Additional Collector C. Dinesh Kumar and Superintendent of Police V.R. Srinivasan, and District Fire Officer Venkatraman, inspected a drill performed by the officials and men from Departments of Revenue and Disaster Management and District Fire and Rescue Services at Kottai Mariamman Temple.
“This demonstration was only to keep the people informed about the state of preparedness of the district administration. The firemen displayed various techniques of rescuing people and also different equipment and tools available with them for the rescue,” the Collector said.
The firemen have mechanised boats for rescuing people during floods, he added.
The administration has asked people to stock adequate foodgrains, dry food, drinking water and dresses ready to face the possibility of flooding. Similarly, they should keep adequate fodder for their cattle which should be taken to safe places.
People should not venture into waterbodies and disconnect power supply and cooking gas connections if there was heavy rain and lightening.
Personal Assistant to Collector (General) Maran, Tahsildar (Disaster Management) Santhanamary Geetha, Assistant Fire Officer N. Suresh Kannan were also present.