Laila: GVMC sets up control room

The Hindu      20.05.2010

Laila: GVMC sets up control room

Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM: With moderate rain recorded in the city and its surroundings, the clogging of drains is creating problems. Reacting quickly, the municipal authorities cleared the Gangulagedda drain on Wednesday by removing five truck-loads of silt by pressing in earth-moving machines. At Tatichetlapalem, the silted Lakshminarayanapuram drain was de-silted by 40 workers. Plastic waste and garbage overflowed on to the service road making it slushy.

32.4 mm rainfall

Visakhapantam (urban) mandal recorded a rain of 32.4 mm and rural 20 mm till 2 p.m. on Wednesday.

A control room was set up at the GVMC and any information may be passed on to 2746305 and 306 round-the-clock.

Municipal Commissioner V.N. Vishnu asked officials to take all precautionary measures including chlorination of water and evacuating people from unsafe dwellings and low-lying areas. No untoward incident was reported till Wednesday evening.

The Commissioner asked the officials to keep ready men, material and equipment to meet any contingency. All steps should be taken to prevent water pollution. Machines for de-watering and also water supply (if people are evacuated) should be arranged. Sanitary inspectors should give priority to clearing drains.

Contractors should be identified to take up any immediate repairs to roads, drains and culverts and such works should be brought to the notice of officials.

Mr.Vishnu visited the low-lying Gnanauram, Poornamarket, Tatichetlapalem, Prasad Gardens, MVP Colony, Railway New Colony, KRM Colony and HB Colony and issued instructions to officials concerned to improve the situation. He was accompanied by CMO (Health) D.Abbulu.

Any problems in Zone III may be conveyed by calling 9948883925, according to AMO D. Bhaskara Rao.