Vijay Reviews Northeast Monsoon Readiness in Southern and Hill Districts

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay chaired a review meeting at the Secretariat in Chennai on Tuesday on precautionary and preparedness measures for the southern interior and western districts ahead of the Northeast monsoon, along with steps to prevent dengue.

The meeting covered preparedness in Coimbatore, Dindigul, Erode, Karur, Madurai, Nilgiris, Sivaganga, Tenkasi, Theni and Virudhunagar. The Chief Minister directed the Collectors to frame precautionary measures according to the specific risks of each location.

Focus on hill districts

Mr. Vijay asked officials to give special attention to the hill areas of the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Dindigul and Theni, where heavy rain can trigger landslides, mudslides and slope instability, and where falling soil and rocks can disrupt traffic.

Collectors were told to keep watch over all landslide-prone and already identified vulnerable locations, and to speed up slope stabilisation works such as soil nailing being carried out in vulnerable areas of Kodaikanal.

Key roads and transport links in the hill areas are to be monitored continuously, with machinery and personnel kept ready in advance so that connectivity can be restored immediately if it is disrupted. Since telecommunications may be affected during heavy rain, officials were directed to ensure Very High Frequency equipment and satellite phones remain in working condition, and to conduct mock drills and evacuation exercises.

Drainage, storage and relief supplies

Collectors in the southern districts were instructed to ensure that canals, waterways, tanks, surplus water channels and stormwater drainage systems function without obstruction. Precautionary measures are to be taken in identified flood-prone areas, with emergency action plans kept ready.

Officials were also asked to monitor stored paddy to prevent rain damage, and to identify essential commodities needed during the monsoon in advance and keep them ready for use in designated camps.

Dengue prevention

On dengue, Collectors have been asked to assess the number of dengue and fever cases in each district and identify areas where cases are rising. They are to coordinate with the Health Department and other departments for door-to-door field inspections through Domestic Breeding Checkers, elimination of Aedes mosquito breeding sites, mosquito-larvae control measures and continuous surveillance in high-risk areas.

District administrations are to run awareness measures urging people to seek medical advice immediately if they suspect dengue. Government hospitals and primary health centres must be prepared to detect dengue early, refer patients at the appropriate time, provide fluid therapy, treat severe cases and ensure continuous monitoring.

Minister for Energy Resources and Law C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar; Chief Secretary M. Sai Kumar; Additional Chief Secretary (Municipal Administration and Water Supply) Gagandeep Singh Bedi; Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) M.A. Siddique; and Commissioner of Revenue Administration and Additional Chief Secretary B. Chandramohan took part in the meeting. The Collectors of the ten districts attended through videoconference.