Chief Minister M.K. Stalin chaired a meeting on Saturday to review the precautionary arrangements being taken in view of the Northeast monsoon. He instructed Collectors to take all necessary measures, in the wake of predictions of heavy rain issued by the India Meteorological Department.
Mr. Stalin instructed officials to monitor the storage in waterbodies across the State and also to move people in low-lying areas to safety. He also advised officials to find permanent solution to issues of waterlogging in specific areas. He underlined that there has been a 41% increase in rainfall this year.
In 12 districts — Ariyalur, Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Erode, Karur, Namakkal, Perambalur, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tirunelveli, Tiruvarur and Villupuram — the rainfall was about 60% higher than usual. In Chengalpattu, Dindigul, Kallakurichi, Kanniyakumari, Mayiladuturai, Nagapattinam, Ramanathapuram, Ranipet, Sivaganga, Tenkasi, Theni, The Nilgiris, Tiruppur, Tiruvannamalai, Thoothukudi, Tiruchi and Vellore districts, the rainfall was about 20% higher than usual.
A total of 7,048 of 14,138 lakes across the State have reached their capacity.
‘Ensure basic amenities’
Mr. Stalin instructed officials to ensure basic amenities in relief camps, and also to specifically ensure supply of milk, bread and food for children and the elderly.
The Chief Minister advised the officials to check the outbreak of possible infections, especially dengue. He also directed authorities to prune trees that pose danger to the people. He also instructed against digging in public places without prior permission within the Greater Chennai Corporation limits.
Minister for Water Resources Duraimurugan, PWD Minister E.V. Velu, Chief Secretary V. Irai Anbu, Director-General of Police C. Sylendra Babu, Commissioner of Revenue Administration K. Phanindra Reddy participated.
