HYDERABAD: The Chief Minister Dr. K. Rosaiah said the
State machinery has been fully geared up to meet the eventualities of the
severe cyclone that will hit the coastal areas of the State anytime now. He
said Ministers have been directed to rush to these districts and Senior IAS
Officers and District Collectors have been positioned to supervise the rescue
and relief works. Army, Navy and Air Force have been alerted. Additional
Police force has been deployed in these areas.
The Chief Minister held a review meeting in the morning
today at Secretariat and again at his residence in the evening on the latest
situation with Minister for Revenue, Mr. Dharmana Prasada Rao, Minister for
Agriculture, Mr.N.Raghuveera Reddy, Minister for Rural Development,
Mr.V.Vasanth Kumar, Minister for Irrigation, Mr. Ponnala Lakshmaiah Chief
Secretary S V Prasad, Prl.Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Mr.Manmohan Singh,
Commissioner, Disaster Management, Mr.T Radha and other.
The Chief Minister also held a teleconference with the
District Collectors today morning. He has put them on high alert. "This is the
time we should be fully alert and go to the rescue of the people", he told
them.
The Chief Minister said he would be available the whole
night in case of any need and for any kind of guidance. He also asked the
Ministers in the Headquarters as well as other officers to be available for
consultations. The Chief Minister asked the Ministers, top officials, District
Collectors and SPs in these districts to be on constant vigil and closely
monitor the situation.
The Chief Minister said evacuation of people from the
likely to be affected areas and low lying villages are in full swing and almost
completed. Rescue and Medical teams have been positioned. Supply of food
packets and pure drinking water are also taken up in all the temporary camps.
Police are guarding the vacated houses of the people till they come back. Navy
boats have been requisitioned.
He said torrential rains battered these districts and crop
in lakhs of acres seems to have been badly affected. The State Government will
send a priliminary report about the heavy losses to the Central Government
immediately and ask the Government of India for release of advance assistance
from National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCF) pending detailed assessment.
The officials
informed the Chief Minister that the Government is fully geared to meet the
situation arising out of 'Jal' cyclone. They said all the District Collectors
particularly south coastal districts have been alerted to keep a close watch
and take all precautionary and preventive measures and inform the action taken
to the government. Apart from evacuating the people from low lying areas and
moving them to cyclone relief camps, the district collectors have been directed
to suspend all fishing operations and prevent them from venturing into the sea.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) battalions at Arakkonam, Tamilnadu
is requistioned and is sent to Nellore district. Besides, the Army and
Airforce teams are requested to be ready for deployment at any time. Further
alternative communication network such as HAM Radio Network and Satellite
phones were kept ready at the disposal od District Administration, the
officials said. Control rooms were in operation in all coastal districts and
essential commodities were kept ready at the Fair Price shops in the likely
affected areas. Medical and Health was instructed to keep sufficient
quantities of essential medicines and 108/104 medical ambulance services. The
electricity department is instructed to take special care to monitor the power
situation to avoid human loss due to electric shock, short circuit and protect
the people. APSRTC is instructed to keep sufficient buses ready for movement
of people in case of evacuation and supply of essentials. The General Manager
of South Central Railways is requested to ensure constant vigil on the railway
line, bridges etc. till cyclone recedes and the Police & Fire departments were
instructed to keep constant vigil and be in touch with district administration.
