Funds released for repair of 91 schools, 137 Anganwadi buildings in Dakshina Kannada: DC

Mangaluru: Deputy Commissioner Darshan H V said that approval has been given for the repair of 91 school buildings and 137 Anganwadi centres in Dakshina Kannada under district disaster management authority. The repairs will be taken up by the Panchayat Raj engineering department. A sum of Rs 2.5 crore has been released for the repair of Anganwadi buildings and Rs 1.5 crore for the school buildings.

“If any further repairs are required for the hospital, school and Anganwadi buildings, then funds will be released. The authorities have asked not to use the buildings that are in dilapidated condition. Education department and women and child development department have been asked to identify the buildings that have developed cracks. The panchayat raj engineering department engineers have been asked to submit a report of the feasibility of such buildings,” said the DC to mediapersons.

In the wake of the monsoon entering Kerala on June 4, the district administration has identified 115 relief centres and instructed officials to keep them ready for use in emergencies. Authorities have also been directed to identify and clear dangerous tree branches and electrical wires near schools and Anganwadis in coordination with the Forest Department and MESCOM, said the DC.

As part of disaster response preparedness, a 25-member NDRF team will be stationed in Puttur taluk, while a 10-member SDRF team will be deployed in Subrahmanya.

The administration has also kept 28 rescue boats, chainsaws, life jackets, lifebuoys, earth movers, tippers and cranes ready for emergency operations. Departments including PWD, PRED, KRIDL, NHAI and Rural Water Supply have been directed to position personnel and machinery in vulnerable areas prone to floods and landslides.

Incident commanders have been appointed in all the 60 wards of MCC, gram panchayats, ULBs in the district to tackle the emergency situations during monsoon. The 24x7 helpline will be activated for three months to receive the grievances from the public. In case of need, helplines will be set up at hobli level as well, added the DC.

As many as 88 landslide-prone areas have already been identified. Works to check landslides have already been undertaken at several places. Warning sign boards will be placed in the affected areas on NH 169, 275. Residents living in landslide-prone and flood-prone areas have been advised to move to relief centres or safer locations during Red Alert periods. Authorities have also been instructed to install warning signboards at vulnerable locations, including unsafe bridges, culverts and accident-prone stretches.

The health department has been asked to take up IEC activities to check the breeding of mosquitoes in stagnant water to contain the spread of water-borne diseases. Tourists and members of the public have been advised not to visit trekking routes, riverbanks and seashores during adverse weather conditions.

He said the district administration will urge the public to avoid approaching damaged electricity poles and hanging power lines and to report such hazards immediately to the control room.