With the India Metereological Department (IMD) stating that the well-marked low-pressure area formed in the Bay of Bengal likely to intensify into a depression and then into a cyclone named ‘Fani’ expected to hit the northern coast of Tamil Nadu on April 30, Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy chaired a meeting to review the preparedness of various departments on Friday.
Ministers M. Kandasamy, M.O.H.F. Shahjahan, and R. Kamalakannan, Chief Secretary Ashwani Kumar, Development Commissioner A. Anbarasu, Secretaries to departments, Senior Superintendent of Police and officials of various departments attended the meeting and discussed the steps taken by various agencies.
‘Red alert’ issued
The coordination of various departments, including the Revenue and Disaster Management, Local Administration, Public Works, and Electricity, was discussed in detail. Mr. Narayanasamy told presspersons that the IMD had issued a “red alert” stating that the wind speed was expected to be 90 to 100 kmph dumping up to 20 cm of rainfall in or around Puducherry.
The administration is in a state of readiness and the government has directed line departments to move people living in low-lying areas to cyclone shelters as a precautionary measure.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea.
Ministers would stay put in the respective areas till the situation got normalised.
The Local Administration department had been directed to keep equipment ready for pumping out water from low-lying areas.
The Electricity department has been advised to be ready to ensure quick removal of debris of fallen trees, he said.
The administration has asked all employees who have gone on leave to immediately return to the headquarters in view of the warning issued by the IMD, Mr. Narayanasamy added.
Villupuram on alert
In Villupuram, District Collector L. Subramanian chaired a meeting on Thursday to review the preparatory arrangements made by various government agencies.
Mr. Subramanian directed all municipal and town panchayat officials to stay put in the respective areas till the situation gets normalised.
He said that emergency teams had been kept on standby in all the 19 coastal hamlets in the district.
A special team led by an official in the rank of a sub-collector, tahsildar and deputy tahsildar have been appointed for five coastal villages each.
The Health department officials should ensure that all the doctors and paramedical staff were available at the Primary Health Centres and also at government hospitals and ambulances were ready in the event of any emergency.
District Revenue Officer R. Priya attended the meeting.
