District Collector R Sangeetha on Tuesday directed the officials to remain fully prepared with the disaster management plan for the impending monsoon season.
She held a review meeting with senior district officials and asked them to ensure that they take adequate measures to protect lives in a disaster situation. Adequate food stocks, life saving drugs, and other essential items need to be stocked in the places where communication often get disrupted during floods, the Collector stated.
She asked the officials to set up a Control Room both in district and at block levels to monitor such a situation. Sangeetha said that wells, hand pumps and other water sources will be cleaned and disinfected with bleaching powder.
She also asked officials to identify the rivers which witness floods every year including the Jonk River near Sankara, Barsati Nala near Bike Bahra and monitor water levels regularly so that people can be moved to safer places in any emergency.
The Collector also directed the District Commandant of Nagar Sena and officials of the Fisheries Department to gather information on the number of boats available in the region which can be used.
She also directed the local municipal officials to ensure that the drains are cleaned. It was decided that water level of different rivers would be monitored regularly and the information would be passed on to the control rooms.
This apart, a decision was taken to stay in touch with the concerned Irrigation Department officials to get regular updates on the release of water from Patora reservoir in Odisha and Rabisankar reservoir (Gangrel) located near the Mahasamund border. This will help the administration to inform the districts located on the low laying area 12 hours before rise in the water level.
The other officials who were present in the review meeting include CEO of the district panchayat SN Rathor, Additional Collector Omkar Yadu, three Sub-divisional magistrates of the district and officials of the concerned departments.