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North Goa collector orders departments to prune trees, clean drains

PANAJI: With monsoons fast approaching, North Goa District Disaster Management Authority on Friday directed all urban local bodies, village panchayats and concerned departments to clear storm water drains before June. Fire and emergency services and the electricity department have also been asked to identify “dangerously positioned” trees which need to be pruned, government officials said.




North Goa collector and district magistrate R Menaka, who is the chairperson of the North Goa District Disaster Management Authority, convened a meeting on pre-monsoon preparedness to review the preparations of state departments for the monsoon season and to discuss related concerns.

“All departments including urban local bodies, panchayats, water resources department and public works department have been instructed to ensure that all road cutting works are completed positively before May 15 to avoid any inconvenience to the public,” said Menaka, adding that it has been directed to clear the debris with immediate effect.

From May 15, 24x7 control rooms will be set up at North Goa collectorate to receive calls of any incident or calamity that may arise due to heavy rains so that rescue operations can be coordinated.

Directions have also been issued to corporation of the city of Panaji (CCP), municipal councils and panchayats to take up the work of clearing of the drains within their jurisdiction and submit weekly reports to the collector on the progress.

“Joint committees of officers from the forest department, fire and emergency services and electricity department, lead by deputy collectors, will identify the dangerously positioned trees and necessary action will be taken to prune the branches well in advance,” said Menaka.

“Health department and civil supplies department have been directed to be in full readiness to meet any eventualities. The Mamlatdars of all talukas have been directed to forward calamity relief case within 15 days after joint inspection to the collector for timely disbursal of relief amounts,” the government said in a note.

India Metrological Department (IMD) will be providing daily weather forecast reports which will be shared with nodal officers. The water resources department, meanwhile, has been directed to report daily on water levels.

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