The New Indian Express 07.10.2010
Corporation ready to take monsoon test
CHENNAI: Corporation Commissioner D Karthikeyan on Wednesday said that the civic body was fully ready to tackle the monsoon rains and all arrangements were in place.Speaking to reporters at his first formal meeting with the media at Ripon Buildings here, the Commissioner said, “In an effort to ensure that there is no flooding in the city during the ensuing rainy season, about 88 high-powered motor pumps have been kept ready at the 10 zonal offices.” Besides, about 60 high-potential motor pumps have been positioned at the civic body-maintained 12 subways in the city, Karthikeyan said.
To ensure free flow of rainwater, about 600 km of storm water drain network have been desilted so far and another 200 km will be cleansed within a week, he said.
Karthikeyan added that the Corporation would approach the government to deploy nodal officers (IAS officials) for every zone to monitor the flood situation in case of heavy downpour,.
Zonal assistant commissioners have been asked to keep community halls, corporation schools and noon meal centres ready to accommodate people in case of mass evacuation. Corporation- run kitchens could prepare food for 8,000 people per hour to serve people displaced due to flooding, the Commissioner informed.
Meanwhile, Mayor M Subramanian inspected a few canals in the city and inspected the desilting work.
Directing engineers to complete desilting work at the earliest, he urged officials to employ more motor pumps at prominent junctions.
