Chandigarh (Balwinder Singh): Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, on Friday late evening, chaired a high-level meeting through video conferencing to review the state’s preparedness for the monsoon and directed all Deputy Commissioners to ensure effective drainage management so that no area experiences waterlogging. During the meeting, he undertook a detailed review of flood-control measures, drainage arrangements and emergency response systems in all districts, and directed officers to remain on alert and take timely preventive action.
Divisional Commissioners and senior officers of the Irrigation, Public Health Engineering, Urban Local Bodies, Development & Panchayats, Revenue, Health and other concerned departments also attended the meeting via video conferencing.
The Chief Minister directed the officers to complete all monsoon preparedness measures without delay. He said that effective drainage systems must be in place across the state so that citizens do not face any inconvenience during the rainy season.
Directing Deputy Commissioners to closely monitor the situation in their respective districts, the Chief Minister asked them to regularly review drainage arrangements and maintain constant field-level supervision. He further directed the officers to identify waterlogging-prone locations in advance and complete all preventive measures well before heavy rainfall. Water accumulated after rain should be drained out promptly to ensure that normal life remains unaffected, he said.
Emphasising close coordination among departments, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini directed the Irrigation, Public Health Engineering, Urban Local Bodies, Development & Panchayats, Revenue, Police and other concerned departments to work in a coordinated manner throughout the monsoon. He further directed that pump sets, motors, pipes and all other drainage equipment be kept fully operational and ready for immediate use. Monitoring should continue at the sub-divisional level, while officers should jointly inspect vulnerable locations and periodically review preparedness.
The Chief Minister also directed the officers to keep all rivers, including the Yamuna, and every drain passing through the state under constant watch. Any obstruction to the flow of rainwater should be removed immediately to ensure smooth drainage, he said.
Officers must closely monitor the water level of the Yamuna River and deploy officers without delay in vulnerable areas if the river level rises, directed Sh. Nayab Singh saini. He also directed the Revenue, Irrigation, Police and other concerned departments to work in close coordination in flood-prone areas to safeguard lives and property,
Reviewing disaster preparedness, the Chief Minister directed officers to regularly inspect the availability and working condition of machinery, boats, generators and other equipment required for flood relief and rescue operations. He said that flood control and drainage-related control rooms in every district remain operational round the clock and that the disaster management mechanism be kept fully prepared to respond immediately to any emergency.
The Chief Minister further directed the Health Department to remain on high alert to prevent water-borne and communicable diseases during the monsoon. He directed the officers to maintain adequate stocks of essential medicines and ensure that there is no shortage of doctors or other healthcare services.
To strengthen public response during the monsoon, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini directed all Deputy Commissioners to issue a dedicated toll-free helpline number in their respective districts so that complaints related to waterlogging, flooding or any other emergency can be addressed without delay.
The Chief Minister further directed to maintain a detailed record of every waterlogging incident. The documentation should include the affected location, the time taken to drain out the water and the time required to restore normalcy. He said the data would be analysed to develop permanent and long-term solutions for effectively addressing waterlogging during future monsoon seasons.
Chief Secretary, Sh. Anurag Rastogi, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Sh. Arun Gupta, and other senior officers also attended the meeting.
