Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis held a meeting of the disaster management department on Friday over the monsoon situation in the state.
Senior officers of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) attended the meeting.
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Speaking to reporters, chief minister Shinde said that the disaster relief teams are on alert to ensure that there is no harm to the public due to massive rainfall, news agency ANI reported.
“The steps to be taken to avoid the loss of life and property were discussed in the meeting. I am sure people from all departments are ready to face any situation,” Shinde added.
During the meeting, the chief minister praised the army and the NDRF for the work done during the monsoon in Maharashtra last year and said that officials of all agencies should be on the field so that staff are alert, a report by PTI said.
He added there should not be any lack of communication among agencies.
War rooms must be set up at the district collector level and municipal offices to resolve grievances of people expeditiously, and the administration should be vigilant at landslide-prone sites, Shinde further directed.
Municipalities should ensure residents of dangerous buildings are shifted to temporary tenements and are well looked after, he added.
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Shinde pointed out that he and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will be available 24 hours “so that the administration reaches the last person in society.”
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), central Maharashtra will receive normal to above-normal rainfall in July but Vidarbha is likely to receive below-normal rainfall during the month.
Heavy rains lashed Mumbai on Thursday, leading to waterlogging in several areas. The IMD has issued an ‘orange’ alert for isolated places in the city and neighbouring districts. A ‘yellow’ alert has also been issued for today and tomorrow for a few places in Mumbai.
(With agency inputs)