Cyclone Mandous: Tamil Nadu govt keeps guard up as storm advances

State Electricity Minister Senthil Balaji said 44,000 damaged electricity poles have been replaced and another two lakh poles are kept ready for emergency.

The Tamil Nadu government has taken all precautionary measures to meet the challenges of North East Monsoon and the cyclonic storm 'Mandous', State Ministers Ma Subramanian and V Senthil Balaji said here on Friday.

The cyclonic storm Mandous will move west-northwest and cross north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coast between Puducherry and Sriharikota with a windspeed of 65-75 kmph around midnight of December 9, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted. (AP)

Speaking to reporters, Minister for Health Subramanian said as per the direction from Chief Minister M K Stalin, the health department has instructed the medical teams including doctors, nurses and staff in government hospitals and PHCs to be ready 24/7 and ensure that necessary medicines are available.

To a question on filling up vacancies of doctors and other staff in PHCs, Subramaniam said of the 4,303 vacant posts, the government has selected 1,021 doctors. However, due to a case prevailing in Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, the orders cannot be issued and it is expected to be cleared by January next year.

State Electricity Minister Senthil Balaji said 44,000 damaged electricity poles have been replaced and another two lakh poles are kept ready for emergency. The department has kept 11,000 additional workers to carry out 24 hours emergency works, he added.

On road infrastructure in Coimbatore district, Senthil Balaji said the Chief Minister has issued order on Thursday to take up works costing ₹19.84 crore, covering 138 roads. Earlier, Subramanian declared open new buildings, medical equipment needed for operation theaters and children wards in various government hospitals in the district including Coimbatore, Mettupalayam and Sulur.