Gujarat: Chief Secy holds meeting after forecast of very heavy rains, instruct officials for advance preparations

Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], August 25 : Keeping in view the forecast of heavy to very heavy rains made by the Meteorological Department in Gujarat, a review meeting was held at the State Emergency Operation Center under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Rajkumar.
In this meeting, the Chief Secretary advised the Nodal Officers of various departments, Survey District Collectors and Municipal Commissioners who were connected through video conference to remain alert against possible danger.
In the meeting, an official of the India Meteorological Department gave detailed information about the forecast of heavy to very heavy rains in Gujarat during the next week.
Based on this, the Chief Secretary instructed the various district administrations to make all necessary preparations. Also, he instructed the officers and employees of the district and taluka administrative system to be present on duty at the headquarters, considering the prevailing rain situation.
Chief Secretary said that special vigilance should be taken in the places where people are likely to gather in large numbers because of the holy month of Shravan festivals in the state so that there is no accident or mishap due to heavy rain.
Further, all the in-charge secretaries were also notified to be present in their respective districts, keeping in view the situation and providing necessary guidance to the administration.
Animal Husbandry, Energy, Agriculture, CWC, Roads and Buildings, Health and Family Welfare, Panchayats, GMB, Urban Development Department, Irrigation, Sardar Sarovar Nigam, NDRF and Coast Guard etc. in the forecast districts keeping in view the heavy rain conditions in the state. The officials of the departments were also notified to take precautionary measures.
The Chief Secretary ordered the concerned line departments to take necessary action to ensure that water does not fill up after the rain stops, disease does not spread, closed roads are restored immediately, electricity supply is disrupted, and water level is continuously monitored as water enters the dam.
Apart from this, Additional Chief Secretary of Revenue Department Jayanthi Ravi and Principal Secretary of Urban Development Department Ashwini Kumar made various suggestions to the administration and asked them to be vigilant.
Relief Commissioner Alok Kumar Pandey also told all the nodal officers present in the meeting to take all precautionary measures considering the prevailing situation.
According to a statement from the CMO, Valsad, Tapi, Navsari, Surat, Narmada, and Panchmahal districts of South Gujarat have been most affected by the heavy rainfall.
The maximum rainfall in the last 24 hours has been 326 mm recorded in Vapi, Valsad. Normal life has been affected in parts of the state due to heavy rainfall and waterlogging.