01-07-2025
Jogulamba Gadwal District Gears Up for Monsoon Challenges with Proactive Disaster Management Plan
Gadwal: To effectively face potential natural disasters in the district, all departments must work in coordination and take advance precautionary measures, said District Collector B.M. Santhosh.
On Tuesday, a coordination meeting was held with officials at the IDOC meeting hall to discuss the Disaster Management Action Plan. The Collector emphasized that the administration should not merely react after disasters occur, but rather take proactive measures in advance.
He noted that since the district is located between the Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers, heightened vigilance is necessary. While no major disasters have occurred in the past decade, he recalled that floods in 2009 led to crop damage. He warned that, due to early monsoons beginning in June, there is a high possibility of heavy rainfall this year.
As part of the precautionary measures, the Collector instructed the formation of disaster management committees at mandal and village levels under the chairmanship of Tahsildars, similar to the district-level committee. The Additional Collector (Revenue) has been appointed as the district nodal officer for disaster management.
Tahsildars are to conduct mandal-level meetings and form effective teams for quick response. Officials from irrigation, education, health, roads and buildings, animal husbandry, and fisheries departments were briefed on responsibilities within their jurisdictions.
The next three months are crucial, and all departments must be prepared to respond immediately to any emerging issues. Special attention must be given to villages along riverbanks. Vulnerable houses and school buildings in dilapidated condition must be identified beforehand, and if necessary, arrangements must be made to shift residents to safer locations.
The Irrigation Department was instructed to immediately respond to issues at tanks and ponds. Panchayat Raj and R&B engineers must monitor roads and undertake necessary repair works without delay. Emergency transport facilities should be arranged for pregnant women in flood-prone areas. Fever surveys should be conducted in villages, and essential medicines made readily available.
To prevent the spread of dengue, ASHA workers and ANMs should actively provide healthcare services. Under the supervision of the Panchayat Raj Department, sanitation efforts must be stepped up to prevent water stagnation on roads.
The Electricity Department was directed to ensure uninterrupted power supply and take preventive measures against hazards from submerged electric poles and hanging wires.
The Fisheries Department was advised to hold meetings with fishermen and keep boats and trained swimmers (rescue divers) ready to respond during floods.
All departments must perform their duties with responsibility under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act. Officials must remain accessible and alert at all times over the next two months. Inter-departmental coordination is key to reducing the impact of disasters, and past experiences should guide preparedness measures.
Speaking on the occasion, District Superintendent of Police (SP) Mr. Srinivas Rao stressed the importance of understanding the Disaster Management Act, 2005. He noted that while there are no major industries in the district that pose geo-environmental risks, changing climatic patterns and rains can still trigger disasters.
The SP warned that houses in dilapidated conditions are at risk of collapsing during heavy rains, necessitating immediate responses. He emphasized the need for control rooms at district and mandal levels.
Departments like Revenue, Police, Irrigation, Fire, and Electricity must stay alert 24/7. He also mentioned that fishermen with swimming expertise (rescue divers) should be kept ready in case of increased water flow due to heavy rains. The police department, he said, will deploy skilled young officers and work in coordination with all other departments to ensure effective disaster response.
The meeting was attended by Additional Collectors Lakshmi Narayana and Narsinga Rao, RDO Alivelu, officials from various departments, Tahsildars, MPDOs, and Municipal Commissioners.
