From NDRF to snake-catchers, corporation all set ahead of rain

CHENNAI: Taking a cue from last year's floods, Greater Chennai Corporation has put in place a management plan after the Met department issued cyclone and rain warnings for Thursday. This day last year, the city experienced unprecedented rainfall.
On Wednesday, 40 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel set out for Chennai from their Arakkonam base. Corporation workers fanned out to 10 flood-prone locations like Sidco Nagar in Ambattur, Kargil Nagar in Thiruvottiyur and Jafferkhanpet in Saidapet with rescue boats.
Last year, rescuers waited for instructions on deployment. "That experience has taught us to plan and take positions well ahead of the rain," an official said.
Corporation officials said they were prepared like never before. Top bureaucrats returned from a meeting in the secretariat with chief secretary Rama Mohana Rao and went into a brainstorming session at the control room set up at Ripon Building.
The control room will monitor the flood situation, inundations, marooning, traffic flow and media reports. "Even if there is water stagnation, it will be resolved in a few hours and will not affect traffic and normal life," an official said. Usually, monsoon meetings are chaired by the mayor or commissioner. On Wednesday, municipal administration minister and the department secretary presided. Official sources said this was expected to plug holes in coordination among corporation, Metrowater, police, electricity, slum clearance board and public works departments.
Officials in the corporation, Metrowater and collectorate will be in the loop on a walkie talkie network.
Four centralised kitchens have been set up to cook and send out food in an emergency. Civic officials said demonetisation would make it difficult as there was a shortage of cash.
Motor pumps had been placed in 580 spots including subways and flyovers. The corporation bought heavy-duty pumps for 20 localities where even mild rain could cause inundation. Pumps of 200 HP, borrowed from CMRL, were on standby. Snake-catchers from the Irular community were roped in as snakes entered several homes last year.