With pre-monsoon showers already exposing weaknesses in monsoon preparedness and causing widespread flooding across the district, South Goa District Collector and Chairperson of the South District Disaster Management Authority, Egna Cleetus, has set strict deadlines for all relevant agencies and departments to complete their monsoon readiness by the end of this month. At a high-level meeting on Friday, the Collector reiterated that the ban on road digging, imposed on May 15, remains in effect and warned against any violations. However, she clarified that ongoing projects could receive extensions only if prior approval is sought from her office. Any unauthorized road digging will be dealt with firmly.
During the meeting, the Collector reviewed the progress of monsoon-related work being carried out by various departments, including Municipalities, Panchayats, the Public Works Department (PWD), and the Water Resources Department. Special attention was given to landslide-prone areas, with sub-divisional officers tasked to identify and report vulnerable zones for prompt action. The status of de-silting operations in drains and nullahs was also examined, with Block Development Officers and Chief Officers urged to expedite these efforts. The Power Department has already started cutting trees along major roads and highways, while the PWD has pledged immediate action.