Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has instructed the Collectors of Chittoor, Kadapa, Nellore and Prakasam districts to be on high alert in view of the possibility of heavy rains, especially in the southern parts of Nellore district bordering Chennai.
In a video-conference with the Collectors on the situation arising from the depression in the Bay of Bengal, on Thursday, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy ordered that relief camps be set up wherever required.
Immediate relief
He directed the officials to be liberal in helping the needy in terms of food and drinking water, with the cooperation of the NDRF and SDRF teams. He said the affected people in the inundated areas should be paid ₹1,000 each as an immediate relief.
He told the Collectors to keep a close watch on the reservoirs, dams and other irrigation structures to ensure that there were no breaches. “Complacency in this regard may lead to deaths,” the Chief Minister cautioned.
He further directed the officials to take up repairs, particularly to the roads, once the rains subside, and that he and other top officials would be a phone call away any time to extend any assistance.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy also wanted that required medicines be made available at the PHCs and the area and district hospitals, and that the personnel of the Fire Services Department be kept on standby.
‘Another system brewing’
Officials of the Meteorological Department informed the Chief Minister that the depression was likely to make a landfall in Chennai by evening, and bring in its wake winds with speed reaching up to 70 kmph.
They said that a low-pressure had formed in the Bay, and it might develop into a cyclone and cross the coast in the southern parts of the country by November 17. It could trigger another spell of heavy rains, the officials said.
Deputy Chief Minister Sk. Amzath Basha, Chief Secretary Sameer Sharma, Special Chief Secretary (Municipal and Urban Development) Y. Srilakshmi, and Principal Secretary (Revenue) V. Usharani were among other senior officials present.
