BICHOLIM
Speaker Rajesh Patnekar on Monday chaired a meeting with officials regarding monsoon preparedness in Bicholim, given that the taluka has been prone to floods during the monsoon season.
The meeting, convened by Bicholim Deputy Collector Deepak Vaigankar, was attended by Bicholim Mamlatdar Pravinjay Pandit and officials from the BDO, WRD, PWD, ZAO, electricity, fire services, police, Sankhali Municipal Council and Bicholim Municipal Council.
Bicholim Mamlatdar Pravinjay Pandit reviewed de-silting works of nullahs undertaken by WRD and directed them to complete the said task by May 31.
WRD Assistant Engineer KP Naik said de-silting work of nullahs is in progress and confirmed that the work would be completed by the month end.
The mamlatdar also directed the WRD assistant engineer to coordinate with his counterpart at the Tillari Irrigation Dam to monitor the water levels, to avert floods in Bicholim taluka and to depute a WRD official at the Tillari Irrigation Dam during the monsoon to monitor the water levels at the dam.
Directions were also issued to the PWD (roads) assistant engineer at Bicholim to clear debris adjacent to major district roads before the monsoon and to arrange a JCB round the clock to assist the fire and emergency services to clear trees which fall on the roads.
Speaker Rajesh Patnekar instructed the electricity department to prune those trees leaning on electricity poles to ensure minimal damage to the poles and no unnecessary power outages in the rains.
He also directed them to identify electricity poles in a precarious position and to replace them before the monsoons. The electricity department junior engineer said the work was in progress and would be completed by May 31.
Bicholim Deputy Collector Deepak Vaigankar directed municipal and panchayat authorities to complete pre-monsoon works before the monsoons and also directed them to constitute a taskforce to assist the Disaster Management Authority during natural disasters.
Staff at the different local bodies said they had begun pre-monsoon works which would be completed by May 30.
The Bicholim deputy collector also directed the fire officer to get additional electrical cutters and other machinery which would be needed during natural calamities.
Patnekar directed the Disaster Management Authority to ensure that all pre-monsoon work is completed by May 31, in order to avert floods in Bicholim taluka.
