Chennai: Chief minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday instructed the state machinery to identify flood-prone areas and coastal villages vulnerable to sea water incursion.Chairing a meeting on monsoon preparedness with chief secretary M Sai Kumar and senior bureaucrats at the secretariat, he ordered the timely dissemination of weather and marine alerts to fishermen and people living in low-lying areas. He also wanted the officials to put in place a well-structured evacuation plans, cyclone shelters and multi-purpose relief centres.Govt officials said Vijay instructed the district collectors to ensure that schools and community halls are fully equipped with uninterrupted drinking water, food, electricity, sanitation, and medical facilities to function as relief camps. For emergency response, Vijay stressed keeping district-level rescue teams fully equipped with boats, lifebuoys, ropes, power generators, and dewatering pumps.On tackling dengue fever, Vijay directed officials to conduct extensive door-to-door inspections, eliminate Aedes mosquito larvae, carry out fogging, and step up vigilance in high-risk areas. Officials said CM highlighted the need for massive public awareness campaigns educating citizens on self-protection and early medical consultation. To ensure prompt medical intervention, he ordered govt hospitals and primary health centres (PHCs) to gear up with diagnostic kits, trained staff for critical care, and continuous patient monitoring. He also emphasised inter-departmental coordination, linking health with rural development, local bodies, and civic agencies, to execute systematic sanitation drives and eliminate stagnant water bodies across the state.Minister for revenue and disaster management K A Sengottaiyan submitted the preliminary report of Expert Advisory Committee on Disaster Management regarding El Nino climate trends. Ministers N Anand (WRD), Aadhav Arjuna (PWD), C T R Nirmalkumar (electricity), P Venkataraman (Civil supplies), R Vinoth (agriculture) and Srinath (Fisheries) attended the meeting along with collectors from delta and coastal regions.
