Team Herald
PANJIM: Ahead of the monsoon, the State government has activated its disaster management mechanism with a Request For Proposal (RFP) to be floated for collecting data and integrating all helpline numbers under the Centre’s disaster management scheme.
After chairing a meeting to take a stock of the preparedness, Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte said, “We have decided to set up control rooms at taluka level, district and State level. All helplines would be integrated so that the people have single point of access. These players will collect all data related to disaster management and submit it to the State. The tender would be awarded in June,” he said.
Khaunte further said that the government has taken several initiatives to ensure that disaster management is in the right place.
As part of its task, national highway authority has been asked to look at the areas prone to flooding so as to give special attention to the hot spots and vulnerable areas.
“Desilting of the drains will begin. Pruning of trees near highway and others will be taken up. Reports would be taken from panchayat on these issues. Evacuation plans from flood prone areas would be implemented. From May 15 onwards road digging work will be stopped, barring exceptional cases. Precautionary measures will be taken up by Health Department for vector borne diseases,” he said.
Police department is already working on designing organisational structure for the force.
Fire service has also drawn the plan,” Khaunte added.
During gram sabha meetings, panchayats are urged to take up disaster management as one of their agenda to create awareness among the people.
