T.N. Rains | CM Stalin instructs officials to continuously monitor vulnerable areas

The CM, in a virtual meeting chaired on Tuesday has asked officials to evacuate people from low-lying areas to relief centres; to ensure that water pumps, sand bags and other equipment is kept ready, and has appealed to residents to cooperate with government authorities

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin chaired a virtual meeting to review the steps being undertaken, in view of the Northeast monsoon in various parts of the State, in which he instructed officials to ensure that vulnerable areas are continuously monitored by multi-departmental zonal committees.

The CM adviced officials to ensure that hospitals, educational institutions and mobile phone service providers be kept ready, and also instructed them to depute rescue and relief teams to affected areas without any delay, an official release said. He advised officials to shift people from low-lying areas to relief centres well in advance.

At the relief camps, people should be provided with basic requirements and amenities and priority should be given to senior citizens, persons with disabilities, pregnant women and children. He also instructed officials to remove weak and unstable compound walls.

People in the relief camps were to be provided with milk, bread, food, medicines to children and senior citizens without any shortage, he said and insisted that officials take steps to ensure against any possible outbreak of diseases during the rainy season. Mr. Stalin also instructed officials to conduct medical camps.

Paddy procured should be kept safe from the rains in direct procurement centres across the State, he said. The CM instructed officials to coordinate efficiently with MPs, MLAs, elected representatives of local bodies and other government departments to ensure that necessary relief measures reached the general public.

The CM also advised the authorities to create awareness among the general public over possible dangers from lightning and thunder. Water pumps, tree-cutting equipment and sand bags were to be kept ready, he said. The general public could call the 1070 helpline if required, he said.

Mr. Stalin called upon people to use hot water for drinking purposes and to exercise caution while using electronic equipment and gadgets and further sought their cooperation for the efforts being undertaken by various government agencies.