As the southwest monsoon is likely to start in the first week of June, the district administration has started preparations to face the heavy downpour and consequent flooding in low-lying areas as this district along the Western Ghats would also get drenched during this season like neighbouring Kerala.

Chairing the meeting held at the Collectorate on Wednesday to review the preparations completed so far, District Revenue Officer S. Jayachandran instructed the Public Works Department engineers to inspect all the waterbodies under their control, including the ponds, irrigation tanks and the associated channels, conduct safety audit of these waterbodies and submit a comprehensive report about the present condition of the irrigation tanks and the steps being taken to avert breaches during heavy downpour and consequent flooding.

Moreover, they should also submit a report on the number of sandbags kept ready to plug breaches in the irrigation tanks and the channels.

He directed the PWD and the revenue officials to remove all encroachments – both permanent and temporary structures – in an unbiased manner from the waterbodies, irrigation channels, watercourse of rivers and the wild streams before May-end and submit a report in this connection.

“The police will provide you security cover as you evict the encroachments without giving any room for favouritism,” Mr. Jayachandran said.

The DRO said the officials should caution the public living in low-lying flood-prone areas and close to the watercourse to be alert during heavy downpour, which would swell the rivers and the wild streams in no time to pose serious threat to the public.

The officials attached to the Department of Highways were asked to keep ready earthmovers and the power cutters to remove the trees by strong westerly winds, which would paralyse the vehicular traffic along arterial roads including the Tenkasi – Kollam Highway. When the officials could not provide the exact number of earthmovers and power cutters kept ready for the operations, Mr. Jayachandran asked the officials to submit the list of these equipments kept ready in each area.

The highways department officials were asked to remove the sand accumulated beneath the bridges and the culverts so as to ensure the smooth flow of rainwater and avoid stagnation, the prime reason behind the washing away of these concrete structures.

Public Health Department officials were told to ensure sufficient stock of germicides and sprinkle the disinfectants in the vulnerable areas under the village panchayats, town panchayats and the municipalities.

“Since people from the marooned areas will be shifted to the temporary relief camps to be established in the marriage halls, schools and the colleges, the officials should ensure the sprinkling of disinfectants in these places. Moreover, the floors of these relief camps should be cleaned with disinfectants at regular intervals,” Mr. Jayachandran said.

The heads of local bodies – right from the village panchayats to the municipalities – should be instructed to remove the silt accumulated in the drainage channels and clean the overhead tanks before May-end for supplying safe chlorinated drinking water to residents.

“The water stagnating along the streets without drainage channels should be drained immediately by properly digging drains,” the DRO said.

The schools and the anganvadis should have sufficient stocks of foodgrains for serving food to the children without any break.

Mr. Jayachandran asked the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation officials to set-up a round the clock control so that the rain-affected public could contact them for restoration of power or attending the power outage in affected areas.