Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao directs authorities to swiftly respond to rain issues

Mangaluru: District in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has directed the authorities concerned to swiftly respond to the public grievances regarding rain-related issues.

Chairing a video conference with the District level officials and Mangaluru City Corporation Commissioner on Monday, he asked the officials to take necessary precautionary measures and to take immediate action towards rain-related damages in Dakshina Kannada district and Mangaluru city. All taluk officials should be stationed in their respective taluk centres and should actively respond to the situation, he said.

Necessary measures should be implemented in the residential areas and other low-lying areas inundated by rainwater. The trees falling on roads and houses should be cleared immediately, the minister said.

Dinesh Gundu Rao issued directions to maintain utmost precaution as hill caving has been reported in many regions. The people living in houses in the vicinity of landslide areas should be shifted to safer locations. Precautionary measures should be taken at non-safe and vulnerable anganwadi and school buildings.

The district in-charge minister observed that in the areas where National Highway works are being carried out, the rainwater is flowing down into the residential areas. The issue should be rectified immediately, he directed.

He, meanwhile, issued strict instructions to Mangaluru City Corporation to immediately rectify the flooding at important locations such as Pumpwell junction and to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

The concerned authorities were directed by the district in-charge minister to take precautionary measures as electric poles are falling on the roads due to gusty winds. The snapped electric wires would contain the flow of electricity, causing a threat, which should be avoided, he said.

Dinesh Gundu Rao said that people dwelling in the residential areas on the river banks, which have been facing the threat of floods, should be shifted to safer locations, and relief centres should be opened if necessary.

The minister stressed that a warning should be issued to people not to go near stone quarries, lakes and rivers for swimming.

Water-logging has been reported in several houses and shops in Mangaluru City Corporation limits, along with the collapse of compound walls, damages to electric poles and road damages, he noted and directed the MCC to take immediate measures in this regard.

More precautions should be maintained at Kettikal near Vamanjoor in the outskirts of Mangaluru, where a major landslide occurred last year, the minister added.