Stay alert: CM to local administrations amid rain alert

Taking serious cognizance of a forecast for heavy rain in the Konkan region, covering Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) between June 9 and 14, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday directed the local administrations to be on alert and take all necessary measures required such as shifting people from low-lying areas and dilapidated structures to a safer place

Taking serious cognizance of a forecast for heavy rain in the Konkan region, covering Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) between June 9 and 14, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday directed the local administrations to be on alert and take all necessary measures required such as shifting people from low-lying areas and dilapidated structures to a safer place. He also said they need to ensure that the medical services for Covid-19 and other ailments will not be affected due to rain. He has asked authorities to deploy National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) teams at necessary places; coast guard and Indian Navy should be asked to stand by and call them for help if required in case of flooding in Mumbai and surrounding areas.

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The directives were issued in a meeting called by the chief minister to review the preparedness for the upcoming monsoon season in the backdrop of Covid-19 pandemic. He also directed to take effective measures in flood-prone areas to avoid waterlogging.

“All agencies concerned need to have proper coordination to deal with any situation. We will have to ensure that the medical services will not be affected; alert people staying in coastal areas and shift those residing in dilapidated structures and low-lying areas, if necessary,” the chief minister said.

He said that power back-ups should be set up at hospitals, vaccination centres etc. in case electricity supply is interrupted. He also directed the guardian ministers to review the preparedness of each district by holding meetings at their own level.

“The preparedness needs to be made by planning even those events which are unexpected… Going by the forecast, MMR is likely to be affected the most with the heavy rain, thus the civic corporations are required to ensure no water logging, and manholes are not left open. In Mumbai, development work is going on at many places owing to ongoing Metro projects etc. and debris can be seen lying on roads. Make sure they will not lead to flooding in areas,” Thackeray said.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief IS Chahal, who was part of the meeting, said they have installed pumps at 474 sites. They have also identified five schools in each ward where people will be shifted in case of an emergency. “We have decided to deploy a junior level to monitor the water logging issue in areas. We have developed two tanks to store the excess water. The BMC has also created squads in the jurisdiction of each police station who will help in clearing traffic in case of tree fall and waterlogging,” Chahal said in the meeting.