Officials Will Be Held Responsible for Accidents Near Schools During Monsoon, Warns Uttara Kannada DC
District Collector K. Lakshmipriya directs all departments to stay alert during the monsoon and strengthen disaster preparedness across the district.
K. Lakshmipriya has warned officials that they will be held directly responsible for any accidents occurring near schools, colleges, and Anganwadi centres during the ongoing monsoon season.
Chairing a meeting of the District Disaster Management Authority at the District Collector’s office in Karwar on Wednesday, the District Collector reviewed the district’s preparedness to handle heavy rain, flooding, and landslide related emergencies.
Lakshmipriya instructed officials to immediately remove dangerous trees and hanging electric wires located near educational institutions and Anganwadi centres. Departments were also asked to inspect weak or damaged buildings and submit safety reports without delay.
She made it clear that officers from the concerned departments would be held accountable if accidents take place in these sensitive areas.
To ensure quick emergency response during the rainy season, the District Collector directed all Tahsildar offices and urban local bodies to establish 24 hour control rooms. Personnel from the police, fire services, forest department, HESCOM, and BSNL have been asked to work in shifts at the emergency operations centre in the District Collector’s office.
The Panchayat Raj and Public Works Departments were instructed to speed up works taken up under the State Disaster Relief Fund. Officials from the National Highway Authority were also told to complete ongoing road works in the district within this month.
The administration stressed the importance of proper drainage maintenance to prevent rainwater from accumulating on roads. Authorities were also directed to install warning boards and barricades in accident prone areas.
Officials informed the meeting that work near Shiruru is expected to be completed later this month. Measures such as dredging and declaring no parking zones in risky areas are also being planned to improve road safety during heavy rains.
The District Collector further directed authorities to complete flood prevention works in villages such as Navyanele and ensure smooth water flow in vulnerable regions. All bridges in the district are to be inspected, with officials ordered to submit reports on the structural strength of bridge pillars.
During the meeting, officials stated that 1,780 dangerous trees had already been identified in both rural and urban areas. The Forest Department was instructed to immediately inspect and clear the trees or trim risky branches.
Tahsildars were also directed to coordinate with agencies to ensure all rain gauge machines in the district are functioning properly after repair and maintenance work.
HESCOM officials were instructed to keep emergency equipment, vehicles, and staff ready to restore power quickly during outages. The Fire Department was similarly directed to maintain all rescue and safety equipment in working condition.
Lakshmipriya instructed all officers and staff to remain stationed at their headquarters throughout the monsoon period and respond immediately to any emergency affecting the public.
The administration has also issued a public helpline number for emergencies during the rainy season. Residents can contact the District Collector’s Office Emergency Operations Centre круглосуточно on 94835 11015 for assistance.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Conservator of Forests Shravana Kumar, GP Deputy Secretary Alla Bhaksh, and several district level officers. GP CEO Dr. Dilish Shashi, along with Tahsildars and urban local body officials, joined the meeting virtually.