The state government held a review meeting today relating to preparedness to face Cyclone Remal, which is currently tearing through Bangladesh, West Bengal and Meghalaya, dumping torrential rain along its wide path.
All Deputy Commissioners, NGOs, stakeholders down to the village level have been told to be vigilant and take necessary steps.
Today’s review meeting was chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, with Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma in attendance online. The Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary, Commissioner & Secretaries and other officers were present.
Assuring the citizens that the government is fully prepared, Tynsong said that from the state level to the district level and down to the sub-division level they are fully prepared.
“We’ve shared the opinions made by all Deputy Commissioners and even police force,” he said. “I am happy to inform you that as of today we are fully prepared and assure that the challenges we have we will be able to overcome.”
Tynsong also assured that the government is also financially prepared with DCs able to draw on a ready corpus of funds for immediate relief and compensation.
DCs and their staff and other civil servants will be available around the clock until the cyclone has passed, the Deputy CM said.
There has not been a statewide order regarding educational institutions, with the state government leaving it up to the individual districts to coordinate with Education Department officials to make a decision.
Concerning the lack of drainage along city roads, Tynsong stated that the issue requires equal responsibility for all to work together and not only depend on the government alone.
“A few stretches that are vulnerable to being flooded have been identified, so when the monsoon ends, the PWD (Public Works Department) along with Urban Affairs and Shillong Municipal Board will take appropriate action,” Tynsong said.
The government has identified East Jaintia Hills, West Jaintia Hills, South West Khasi Hills, East Khasi Hills and Eastern West Khasi Hills as vulnerable but is ensuring that all districts are to be looked at as a priority.
“In the state as a whole in all districts we are fully prepared. Yes, a few districts may be vulnerable but for that DCs have been instructed to be more vigilant,” he added.
