Deputy Commissioner S.J. Somashekar has directed all officials, including nodal officers and assistant nodal officers already assigned for disaster management duties, to revisit their respective jurisdictions and take all necessary precautionary measures in view of the monsoon season.
He issued the directions after reviewing preparedness measures during separate meetings held with Tahsildars, Taluk Panchayat Executive Officers, engineers, nodal officers, assistant nodal officers and Panchayat Development Officers at the Taluk Panchayat Hall in Madikeri, Kushalnagar Municipal Hall and Ponnampet Taluk Panchayat Hall regarding district disaster management.
The Deputy Commissioner stressed that officials at every level must remain actively involved in the field and discharge their responsibilities effectively. He instructed them to visit vulnerable and flood-prone locations within their jurisdictions, assess the situation on the ground and take appropriate preventive measures.
He further directed that residents of landslide-prone and flood-affected areas be shifted to relief centres whenever heavy rainfall poses a threat. Daily precautionary advisories concerning rainfall should also be disseminated to the public.
The condition of Anganwadi centres, schools and college buildings should be reassessed. Nodal officers, assistant nodal officers and Gram Panchayat officials appointed at the hobli level must work in close coordination. Updated contact information of all officials should be maintained, and details regarding the availability of JCBs and volunteers in local areas should be readily accessible, he said.
The Deputy Commissioner instructed engineers to undertake repairs of drains along National Highways, Public Works Department roads and Panchayat roads to ensure smooth drainage of rainwater. He also directed officials to regularly monitor the condition of electricity poles and ensure proper maintenance of transformers and other electrical infrastructure.
Somashekar advised health authorities to stock adequate quantities of essential medicines in Primary Health Centres and undertake widespread awareness programmes to prevent the outbreak of infectious diseases during the monsoon. Speaking on the occasion, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Anand Prakash Meena stated that funds should be released to Gram Panchayats in accordance with NDRF guidelines. He also highlighted the need to inspect the condition of school buildings, including those at Koyanadu, with particular emphasis on safety. He further stressed the importance of preventing the spread of false information through social media and directed the Fire and Emergency Services Department to remain vigilant in flood-prone areas.
Noting that several road restoration works related to previous natural calamities remain pending, the Deputy Commissioner instructed the concerned departments to complete them at the earliest. District Superintendent of Police K. Bindumani informed the meeting that all police stations in the district had been directed to coordinate with various departments and discharge their responsibilities effectively. Necessary precautionary measures have already been initiated in landslide- and flood-prone areas, she said. She also advised the installation of adequate warning signboards along highways and urged authorities to take all preventive measures to avert disasters.
Taluk Panchayat Executive Officer Shekhar informed the meeting that precautionary measures had already been undertaken in several areas, including Madikeri Kasaba, Galibeedu, Hoddur, Makkandur, K. Nidugane, Made, Napoklu, Sampaje and Bhagamandala. He briefed the gathering on the distribution of food kits at relief centres and the relocation of families from vulnerable areas. He requested that the earlier provision of ?50,000 per Gram Panchayat for natural disaster management be continued.
Referring to the accumulation of wooden logs near the Kindi Dam at Koyanadu, he said the obstruction was causing flooding and could affect six families, necessitating possible relocation.
Officials from Bhaga mandala pointed out that telephone connectivity is often disrupted during heavy rains due to power outages and requested fuel support to ensure uninterrupted communication.
Tahsildars Sridhar, Krishnamurthy, Praveen Kumar and Sanjana, along with officials from the Public Works Department, Panchayat Raj Department, Municipal Corporation, Municipalities, Town Panchayats, Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Women and Child Development, CESC, Fire and Emergency Services, Forest Department, School Education Department, Labour Department, Gram Panchayats and various departmental nodal officers, presented reports concerning preparedness measures within their respective jurisdictions.
