The Hindu 12.09.2009

Collector asks officials to keep close watch on river courses

Special Correspondent

TIRUCHI: Steps were being taken to provide training to all officials and elected representatives of local bodies on disaster management as part of the precautionary arrangements being taken ahead of the onset of the North East monsoon, Collector T. Soundiah has said.

Chairing a meeting to review the precautionary arrangements being taken ahead of the monsoon here on Thursday, Mr. Soundiah said the officials and elected representatives, including corporation, municipalities and town panchayat wards members, would be given one-day training on disaster management.

“Zonal, taluk and block level coordination meetings should be held on disaster management. Gram Sabha meetings should be convened to discuss flood prevention measures,” he told the officials.

He instructed the Revenue and Public Works Department officials to maintain a close watch on river courses and ensure that there were no vulnerable points.

Encroachments along all water courses, including the Cauvery and Coleroon Rivers, should be removed.

Sand bags ready

The PWD has stocked 1.25 lakh sand bags ready to meet any exigency.

Officials should also identify temporary shelters to accommodate people in case of emergencies.

Adequate stocks of essential commodities should be maintained in all ration shops.

The Fire and Rescue Service has also been requested to keep in readiness boats and other equipments for rescue operations.

Government hospitals, primary health centres and veterinary hospitals should have adequate stocks of medicines and vaccines, the Collector told the officials.

District officials were also instructed to monitor the rainfall recorded in the neighbouring districts of Karur and Pudukottai, as most of the surplus discharges from these district usually flowed into Tiruchi.

District Revenue Officer V. Dakshinamurthy, the Project Officer of the District Rural Development Agency, J. Dhanasekaran, the Joint Director of Health, M. Poongothai attended the meeting.

The Hindu 12.09.2009

Officials asked to stick to time frame stipulated in contract

Special Correspondent

— Photo: M. Moorthy

Reviewing progress: Director of Municipal Administration P. Senthil Kumar (right) inspecting the newly built modern slaughter house at G. Corner in Tiruchi on Friday.

TIRUCHI: The Director of Municipal Administration, P. Senthil Kumar, on Friday inspected the progress of various development works underway in the city and instructed the Corporation officials to complete the projects in time.

Mr. Senthil Kumar inspected the on going works on the Rs.144.86-crore drinking water supply augmentation scheme for the city, including the construction of the three collector wells on the Coleroon River for the scheme being executed with financial assistance from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

He directed the officials to stick to the time frame stipulated in the contract.

He also inspected the road laying works taken up with about Rs.24.30 crore of financial assistance from the German Development Bank, KfW. He inspected the newly laid Thillai Nagar Main Road, along with storm water drains, under the project.

Mr. Senthil Kumar also inspected the progress of work on the laying of the inner link road between Anna Nagar and Cantonment.

He also inspected the modern slaughter house built recently at G. Corner, construction of houses under the Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP) at Krishnan Kovil Street, Ariyamangalam and the newly opened gasifier based crematorium at Karumandapam. He told the officials to ensure that the subsidy amount under the IHSDP in time.

Corporation Commissioner T. T. Balsamy, Municipal Administration Chief Engineer R. Raghunathan, Vice President of TNUIFSL D. Rajendran, City Engineer S. Raja Mohammed, Executive Engineers R. Chandran and S. Arunachalam, and WAPCOS representatives Subburaj and Vadivel accompanied Mr. Senthil Kumar.