This monsoon, people will not be stranded
Mumbai: In the deluge of July 26, 2006, Mumbaikars were stranded in trains and offices with little information about the situation on the streets. But this time, the government has said people will be better informed. From promising that mobile phone networks will not jam, to getting down to using the public announcement systems in some trains, the state insists that it will keep the lines of communication open.
Chief secretary Johny Joseph held a marathon meeting on pre-monsoon preparedness at the Mantralaya on Thursday, attended by officials of the government, BMC, MMRDA, airport and railway as well as officers from the army, navy and air force. I am happy with the coordination between various agencies this time, Joseph said after the meeting.
In addition to providing information, the state will also take steps to ensure there is no misinformation. A provision in the disaster management rules allows for action to be taken against television channels or newspapers giving wrong information or false alarms, and this will be invoked to take action against mediapersons who jump the gun.
It was decided that the navy will be the nodal point of the defence forces in Mumbai, while the army will be the nodal point for the entire state. The navy has six rescue teams while the army has eight, comprising 360 personnel, at the disposal of the state for emergencies. This time, the rescue teams will be decentralised. There will be suburban teams as well, so that a team does not have to be sent from Colaba in case of flooding, Joseph said. The BMC has eight rescue teams with 50 trained officers.
The BMC has identified 48 dilapidated buildings which will be evacuated before the rains. It has identified 74 landslide-prone areas and 288 retaining walls have been built, Joseph said. The BEST has planned for 500 buses in 25 depots as reserves for an emergency.
The BMC has identified 48 dilapidated buildings which will be evacuated before the rains. It has identified 74 landslide-prone areas and 288 retaining walls have been built, Joseph said. The BEST has planned for 500 buses in 25 depots as reserves for an emergency.
TOUGH TALK: The government on Thursday held a marathon meeting on monsoon preparedness