The State government went into an emergency mode with periodic meetings chaired by Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam at the Secretariat on Monday to handle the impact of ‘Vardah’ cyclone.
In a marked difference from the scene witnessed during the initial days of last year’s floods, the government kept the public posted on the safety measures to be taken throughout the day.
Following up on a meeting held on Sunday evening to review preparedness of various government agencies, the Chief Minister held another meeting on Monday a few hours before the cyclone made the landfall.
An official release said that at the meeting attended by Chief Secretary P. Rama Mohana Rao, Advisor to government Sheela Balakrishnan and other senior officials, Mr. Panneerselvam asked them to ensure that people residing in low-lying areas be moved to relief camps and relief material be supplied to them.
As the cyclone was moving closer to its landfall, at about 12.45 pm, the government issued an advisory asking people in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts to remain indoors between 3 pm and 6 pm and those who had already ventured out of their homes to take shelters in nearby areas.
A list of dos and don’ts was also issued by the Electricity, Health and Family Welfare and Revenue Departments to keep the general public informed and offered them word of advices to be followed during and after the landfall.
At about 4 pm, another release stated that Chief Minister personally requested the general public not to venture out of their homes between 1 pm and 7 pm.
Medical teams
Meanwhile, the Health Department kept on standby as many as 100 mobile medical teams, 50 food safety teams, 50 health inspectors and 113 ambulances. Medicines were kept in reserve, precautionary measures against spread of epidemics through water was being taken and sufficient oxygen cylinders were kept at the Government Hospital in Kilpauk and would be provided to private hospitals, if needed.
Soon after the cyclone made its landfall, workers from the Greater Chennai Corporation hit the road with tree cutters and removed obstacles on the roads. About 4.30 pm, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to the Chief Minister and enquired about the situation. Mr. Singh also assured him of any help required by the State.
