The New Indian Express 09.11.2009
Corporation to fight monsoon with boats
CHENNAI: With the local Met department forecasting heavy rains with thunderstorms till Sunday evening, Chennai Corporation had an emergency meeting at Ripon Building on Saturday and decided to take precautionary measures on a war footing.
Commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni told Express, “Since we have a forecast of heavy rain on Sunday too, as a precautionary measure due to raising water levels in residential areas, the civic body decided to keep inflatable boats ready at vulnerable points in the city to evacuate people in case of any emergency.” According to Corporation sources, during the meeting, three places in the city, Velachery, Chinmaya Nagar near Virugambakkam and Vyasarpadi were identified as vulnerable places due to raising water level in the locality.
There are reports that many streets in these areas have recorded about three feet rainwater and it is reportedly increasing slowly till evening.
Lakhoni said, “About 80 inflatable boats are ready to ferry people from low-lying areas and National Disaster Response Force based at Arakkonam has been alerted to help the civic body in case of any emergency mass evacuation.” Till Saturday evening, there was no evacuation from any of the low-lying as well as vulnerable areas in the city and the civic body-run noon meal centres have so far distributed 60,000 food packets to rain-affected people from across the city, he said.
