Against the backdrop of the Chennai floods, a recent seminar organised at the South Goa District collectorate on disaster management assumes relevance in terms of how prepared it is to deal with natural calamities.
The seminar held in November that was organised by the South Goa district collector and magistrate, Sachin Shinde in collaboration with the Geological Survey of India was attended by representatives of various government departments including police and NGOs. Following this seminar, a ground report is being prepared, based on the information from Geographical Survey of India with regard to sensitive locations for floods and landslides and the action plan revolving around those areas.
South Goa has been identified as having areas prone to flood and landslides and for which an action plan has been created under the disaster management authority. As per the action plan, effective steps for prevention of flooding due to the monsoons were guided to taluka level Officers by forming a committee in each taluka. Emphasis has been laid on all the department’s concerns to focus on identification, mobilization and utilization of men, machines and resources, during the early signs of an impending disaster. All taluka mamlatdars were asked to identify rescue shelters in their respective areas to set up relief camps in case of a calamity.
“For instance, Government buildings have been earmarked to shift the affected persons in all talukas and district places. The mode of evacuation that is identification of government and private vehicles which can be made available in the area for transportation of people was suggested in each taluka,” said an officer with the South Goa disaster management authority (DMA) cell. These cells are set up with control rooms every monsoon.
