Hyderabad: In the wake of monsoon approaching fast, civic and health departments in Hyderabad are stepping up their preparedness to stop urban flooding and mosquito-borne illnesses. On Friday, May 16, GHMC commissioner RV Karnan and Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi spearheaded simultaneous initiatives to sort out monsoon preparedness and dengue control in the city.
Coordination key to monsoon response across Hyderabad
GHMC commissioner RV Karnan, in the course of a high-level review at GHMC headquarters, directed all departments to work closely in coordination and finalise all advance monsoon preparations across Hyderabad. Members of the GHMC engineering department, top brass traffic police officials, and zonal commissioners attended.
The aim is to make sure there is no inconvenience to any citizen during the rains,” Karnan said, indicating cleaning of storm water and main drains should be speeded up in all zones. Zone-wise review was undertaken, with de-silting works, water logging points, and crisis response systems taking the center stage.
The commissioner ordered the formation of monsoon emergency teams and that mobile response vehicles carry GHMC logos along with contact numbers. Phone numbers of these vehicles will be distributed to police stations to enhance inter-departmental coordination.
He also emphasised enhancing the command control centre, developing a traffic management plan, and making GHMC engineers available 24/7. Officials were ordered to visit and address points of waterlogging together with police officials.
A convergence meeting with other departments will be organised shortly to rationalise monsoon operations. Karnan also mentioned that 70 percent of street light complaint issues have been addressed, and procurement of related equipment has commenced after the completion of the ESL agreement on May 1.
Traffic police call for proactive measures
Traffic CP Joyal expressed fears about waterlogged roads and disruptions during the rains. He demanded that damaged roads be removed forthwith instead of leaving them, and sought pre-emptive trimming of trees along busy areas.
Pointing to the danger of stranded vehicles and power cuts at traffic lights during rain, he had proposed the installation of standby batteries and deploying big cranes. He also felt the need for timely issuing of weather warnings to facilitate traffic management.
Senior GHMC personnel, zonal commissioners, engineers, and traffic police were present at the meeting, among them being zonal commissioners Hemant Keshav Patil, Anurag Jayanthi, Venkanna, Ravikiran, Apurv Chauhan, Hemant Sahadev Rao, CE Ratnakar, and others.
‘Cooperation of the public essential to prevent dengue’: Mayor
Meanwhile, on National Dengue Day, Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi took out a public awareness rally from the Mandal Primary Health Centre in Banjara Hills. Organised jointly by the GHMC entomology department and the health department, it was geared towards creating awareness on preventing dengue.
The Mayor embarked on a door-to-door campaign, asking residents to drain out stagnant water in and around their houses, which are breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Stickers were stuck on homes with awareness messages and precautionary advisories released to the public.
“Each one should be a partner in the fight against dengue,” she said. “Only if our surroundings are clean can we ensure that mosquito-borne diseases do not spread.”
Local public representatives, colony residents, health department staff, and GHMC officials actively participated in the campaign.
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