Ensure zero casualty: special officer

Special Cyclone Officer for Visakhapatnam and Special Chief Secretary Ajay Jain have ordered the officials to be on high alert in the wake of Cyclone Montha and take precautions to prevent even a minor accident.

Holding a review meeting with district officials on 27 October, he said that strict measures should be taken to ensure zero casualties. Buildings in dilapidated condition should be identified in advance, and disaster prevention measures should be taken. The official instructed the GVMC Commissioner to get the hoardings removed in advance, as there was a risk of them collapsing due to the strong winds.

Keeping in mind the past experiences, he directed the district administration to alert the people and provide relief measures on a war footing. Cyclone preparedness, immediate response, relief measures, and other issues were reviewed. The officers were directed to take appropriate measures for disaster prevention and relief measures.

Ajay Jain said that the direction of the cyclone crossing the coast may change, and the intensity of the winds would increase further from 28 October morning, and the authorities should be prepared to meet the situation. He suggested that manholes should be repaired and people in high-risk areas should be shifted to safe buildings. He said that drinking water, food, milk for children, and medicines should be made available. He said that steps should be taken for an uninterrupted supply of drinking water.

He instructed EPDCL officials to make personnel and machinery available in the areas so that immediate steps can be taken to restore the power supply. He advised that poles and suitable machinery should be kept ready in the respective areas in advance. He said that generators should be made available so that people do not face any trouble during power outages.

The official said that solar lamps and mobile charging units should be installed in villages and urban areas. He advised the collector to talk to the railway officials and take all kinds of accident prevention measures. He said that workers at the buildings under construction should be alerted and shifted to safe areas.

Ajay Jain suggested that cutting machines, JCBs, lorries, and personnel be made available wherever possible to prevent trees and branches from falling due to strong winds.

“The cyclone is likely to cross the coast on 28 October with a speed of 150 to 200 km per hour, and this impact may cause a lot of damage and disruption to the power supply,” he said. Therefore, the machinery should be ready to provide breakfast and food packets to the people in the affected areas.

He suggested that arrangements should be made to provide food to those in the vehicles stranded on the roads and to the passengers staying in the RTC complexes and railway stations. He instructed that fallen electric poles and damaged drains should be identified with the help of drones, and immediate relief measures should be taken. He said that preventive measures should be taken to ensure that the power supply in hospitals is not disrupted.

Ajay Jain instructed the officials to make arrangements for food preparation within the limits of all secretariats and to keep packets ready.

District Collector M.N. Harendhira Prasad informed the official that the district administration was fully prepared to face the cyclone. He said that all precautions were taken. He briefed on the measures initiated in the district.

On the steps taken in the limits of the GVMC, Commissioner Ketan Garg said that in collaboration with the district administration, 38 additional rehabilitation centers have been set up. He said that 20 QRT (Quick Response Teams) were set up, and there were two teams in each zone. He explained that each team has a JCB, a tripper, a tractor, a tree cutter, and a baling machine. The GVMC Commissioner stated that 29 JCBs, 82 sprayers, 64 fogging machines, 26 power saws, 2 Shaktimans, 15 generators, 108 communication devices, and additional staff have been made available.

Also read: Ketan Garg seeks suggestions from experts to check sewage flow into sea

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This article is written by Senior Journalist Lakkoju Nagesh Babu