Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram   

Dist. administration gears up to face monsoon

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM MAY 28. With the monsoon likely to set in within a week, the district administration is gearing up to face all eventualities.

According to the District Collector, E. Ayyappan, a meeting of the Fisheries, Coast Guard, Revenue, Police and Water Resources Departments was convened to discuss the steps to be taken as part of the preparedness. Relief camps would be opened in the event of natural calamities. But the district administration had to be cautious in opening camps in schools as some of the occupants refuse to quit the camps even after the monsoon season. But such things would not be considered in the event of an emergency, Mr. Ayyappan said.

"The Government norm that houses should be put up 200 m away from the sea is being violated. Fishermen tend to go closer to the sea and now most of the huts on the shore are hardly 50 m away from the sea," Mr. Ayyappan said.

Though sea wall is being constructed by the Major Irrigation Department, such works will not be taken up between June and October. The construction of sea wall in Karumkulam, which witnessed a high tide the other day, was not feasible. Fire Force personnel had been pressed into service to drain out sea water, which had flooded the area, he said.

The Harbour Engineering Department has made preparations to face the natural calamities. Instructions had been given to raise emergency signs on the shore to prevent fishermen from venturing into the sea if needed, a department official said.

According to the Fisheries Director, Sasikumar, a meeting was convened at the Government Guest House here on May 2 to discuss the functioning of the control rooms. Control rooms will start functioning in all the districts and the district officers have been directed to chalk out steps for the smooth functioning of the control rooms during the monsoon season.

All mishaps and untoward incidents are to be reported to the Superintendent of Police of Marine Enforcement here and reports are to be furnished daily. Mr. Sasikumar has issued directive to use the boats at two fisheries stations and hire boats till new boats become operational. All Marine District Officers had been told to coordinate with the District Collectors and ensure that the services of the Navy and Coast Guard were made available to face an emergency, Mr. Sasikumar said.

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