This story is from May 6, 2019

Udupi gears up to face monsoon; quarry owners warned

Deputy Commissioner Hephsiba R Korlapati has directed urban local bodies and departments including police, health, fire and emergency and Mescom to set up control rooms and appoint staff as part of disaster management measures, during the monsoon.
Udupi gears up to face monsoon; quarry owners warned
Deputy Commissioner Hephsiba R Korlapati
UDUPI: Deputy Commissioner Hephsiba R Korlapati has directed urban local bodies and departments including police, health, fire and emergency and Mescom to set up control rooms and appoint staff as part of disaster management measures, during the monsoon.
The DC has warned that in case of accidents in abandoned quarries, a criminal case will be registered against the owner. Swimming is banned in abandoned quarries and warning boards should be installed in such places, she warned.

The DC also directed the National Highway Authority of India and National Highway division to clear all obstacles in a week’s time, ahead of the monsoon. This was decided during the monsoon preparedness review meet held recently.
At the review meeting, she said water clogging could occur in case works related to stormwater drains are not completed. “It could be dangerous if signboards and reflectors are not installed. Officials have been directed to take appropriate measures so that the public are not affected during the rainy season. All tahsildars have been directed to be in touch with highway officials regarding traffic movement in their jurisdiction. Officers of the Kundapur sub-division have been asked to monitor the situation constantly,” she said.
“It is the duty of the executive officers, urban local bodies, gram panchayats and PDOs to clear the stormwater drains and desilt rajakaluves before the monsoon. Cleanliness has to be maintained to control the spread of diseases,’’ the DC said.
The forest department has been asked to quickly clear the trees that have fallen on the road due to rain, so that vehicular movement is not affected.
She said preventive measures have to be taken to prevent the spread of epidemics, that necessary medicines should be stocked, primary health centres must be prepared to handle such situations, and ambulances must be kept ready. “In case of an unnatural death, postmortem must be conducted immediately,” Hephsiba told the health department.

She directed officials from the education department to use schools as gruel centres if the need arises. Education department officials must advise children not to go swimming during the rainy season, so that untoward incidents are prevented.
She asked Mescom to act quickly in case of a power breakdowns and that the fire department should be prepared with necessary equipment and boats.
The irrigation department has been asked to look into the dilapidated condition of river walls and river banks. “The wooden gates of check dams should be opened to allow water flow. Compensation for natural disaster relief should be dispersed immediately by the tahsildars. Details of boats and swimmers should be available in all taluks,” she directed.
Control room set up: The Udupi district administration has set up a 24x7 control room to effectively deal with any issues that may crop up on account of natural disasters with the onset of the South-West monsoon. People in need may call the deputy commissioner’s office on 08202574802/toll free number 1077; police district control room on 0820-2526444 or Udupi zilla panchayat on 0820-2574945.
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