PANAJI
In the wake of the recent dust storm disaster in Mumbai that claimed 16 lives, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) in Goa has directed all departments to stay vigilant as the monsoon season approaches including acting against dangerous hoardings.
“The concerned authorities must take swift action. It’s important to take necessary precautions be it illegal hoarding or its positioning at improper location, etc,” SDMA Member Secretary Sandip Jacques said while speaking to The Goan after chairing a pre-monsoon preparedness review at the Secretariat on Friday.
“Our meetings are aimed at thoroughly assessing each department’s preparedness within their specific areas of responsibility, raising awareness and ensuring readiness to mitigate any sort of emergencies,” he added.
During the closed-door meeting, Jacques also questioned the officials from Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited about their work progress while stressing that IPSCDL and City Corporation are on their toes during the entire monsoon period.
“We have asked the agency and CCP to ensure there’s no water-logging and to undertake precautions at excavated areas to prevent any casualties. Secondly, if there are water-logging incidents, it needs to be drained out using their techniques/equipment. These agencies have to be in a state of readiness all the time,” he said.
With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Goa predicting early and heavy rainfall this year, Jacques also urged authorities to be ready for any emergencies, and round-the-clock availability. The importance of staff training and preparedness to save lives during disasters was also emphasized.
He also directed all departments to be particularly active in hazardous areas prone to landslides, floods, and dangerous trees. An official stated that the concerned departments, including Collectorates, have been instructed to identify these locations and take immediate precautionary measures. Jacques suggested installing the SACHET mobile app, which provides disaster alerts.
