Holiday declared for schools, colleges today

NDRF team visits low-lying areas in Puducherry

Confidence booster: The NDRF personnel conducting a recce of Jayaram Garden, a low-lying area in Karuvadikuppam, on the East Coast Road on Wednesday.

Anticipating heavy rain under the influence of Cyclone Gaja, the Puducherry government has declared a holiday for all schools on Thursday. The Directorate of Higher Education has also declared a holiday for all colleges.

Pondicherry University has postponed the examinations scheduled on November 15 at all its affiliated colleges. The revised schedule will be intimated later, according to a release.

The Cuddalore district administration has also declared a holiday for all schools in the district on Thursday.

Meanwhile, a team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Wednesday conducted a recce of the low-lying areas in Puducherry in anticipation of heavy rains in the wake of Cyclone Gaja expected to make a landfall between Cuddalore and Pamban on Thursday.

A 25-member team from the NDRF fourth battalion, led by Commander Avinesh Kumar Amar, arrived in Puducherry on Tuesday to assist the district administration in relief work.

Another team led by a commander was rushed to Karaikal.

Meets local people

The team is equipped with necessary rescue equipment, including life jackets, inflatable boats and cutting gadgets and medical kits.

The NDRF had a series of meetings with the senior officials of the Revenue Department on identifying vulnerable areas. According to Mr. Kumar, the team members visited low-lying areas in Jayaram Nagar, Krishna Nagar, Rainbow Nagar and Jawahar Nagar to familiarise themselves and sensitised the local people on being prepared for the cyclone threat.

The team will camp in Puducherry and assist the administration till further orders, he said.

The district administration’s helplines will be available round the clock. People can contact 1070, 1077 and 0413-2253407 at the Collectorate.

Devesh Singh, Revenue Secretary, convened a meeting to review preparedness with all tahsildhars, revenue officials all line departments at the conference hall, Collectorate.

Among those who participated were District Collector Abhijit Vijay Chaudhari, deputy collectors and police officials.