The New Indian Express 07.09.2010
Mayor takes stock of city's monsoon preparedness
At a meeting chaired by the Mayor, at the civic body’s headquarters here, to chalk out strategies to meet emergency situations in case of torrential rain, representatives of more than 30 different government agencies including police, public works department (PWD), Coast Guard, fire and rescue, fisheries, directorate of public health and army briefed about their preparedness to meet any contingencies during the monsoons slated to begin in the last week of October.
Addressing the representatives, Subramanian asked the departments concerned to stop allowing road cuts to any contractors from September 15. He also asked the Metro Water department to assure round-the-clock operation of its pumping stations to drain out rainwater.
With the view to cleaning storm water drains and sewerage clogs at the city’s 200-odd notified slums, Chennai Corporation along with State Highways, Metro Water and PWD will launch a mass-cleaning programme from Wednesday and complete it by October 15, Subramanian said.
For its part, Meteorological Department has assured the Corporation with a five-day advance forecast during the monsoon. To provide an accurate weather forecast for the monsoon, India Meteorological Department’s Long Range Forecast centre at Pune will provide the state government with detailed forecast for October.
