Pre-monsoon preparedness meeting for Namchi district

NAMCHI, (IPR): Namchi DC and District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA)chair person Anupa Tamling today chaired a pre-monsoon preparedness meeting for the district with the line departments, central agencies and others stakeholders at the Officer's Club Namchi.

The meeting had the presence of ADC Namchi/DDMA member secretary Subash Ghimirey along with SDMs, ADCs (Development), BDOs, other heads of offices of lines departments, DPO DDMA, officials from Central agencies including BSNL, NHIDCL, 4 Sikkim Battalion NCCs Kamrang and IRBs Pipalay. 

Addressing the gathering, the Namchi DC emphasized the critical importance of seamless coordination among all stakeholders to ensure effective preparedness and response to monsoon-induced disasters. She underscored the necessity for strict adherence to the provisions of the Disaster Management Act 2005, and the operationalization of the Incident Response System (IRS) to ensure that all departments remain vigilant and responsive. She instructed the stakeholders to maintain inventories and machinery, with details to be submitted to the DDMA at the earliest.

Citing to the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) incident of 2023, the DC highlighted that disasters whether natural or manmade, will have widespread impacts on human lives, livestock, agricultural activities, and essential supplies. She reiterated that each department has a pivotal role in restoring normalcy in the aftermath of any disaster.

The DC said that disaster preparedness meetings be conducted at least thrice annually to build a resilient and disaster-ready district. She instructed the concerned department to undertake clearing of drainage systems and removal of debris from roads, and submit action-taken reports by 8th May.

Furthermore, the Roads and Bridges department was directed to ensure accountability of the contractors during road excavation works, ensuring that public property is not adversely affected. She also directed SDMs to identify relief camps and control rooms, along with essential amenities, to facilitate early and effective rehabilitation.

Additionally, she also instructed the BDOs to submit their respective Village Development Management Plans (VDMPs) before 10th May.

The ADC Namchi /member secretary provided an overview of the coordination meeting convened to assess the district’s preparedness ahead of the monsoon season. He emphasized the collective responsibility of all departments and agencies under DDMA to implement timely and effective measures to mitigate monsoon-induced risks.

In this regard, he directed the Roads and Bridges department to ensure immediate submission of data pertaining to available machinery and manpower across their respective zones. Additionally, the department was instructed to provide daily updates on road conditions throughout the monsoon period.

The PHE department was directed to ensure uninterrupted and adequate supply of potable water, and to identify alternative water sources as contingency measures. The department was also instructed to undertake preventive actions to mitigate water contamination risks in the event of damage to primary pipelines.

The Forest and Environment department was instructed to oversee the removal of all labour encampments along riverbanks, facilitate the closure of quarries situated in vulnerable locations, and to identify and clear trees that pose potential threats to public safety and infrastructure.

The Food and Civil Supplies department was advised to maintain sufficient buffer stocks of essential commodities—including food grains, petroleum products like petrol, diesel, and LPG—across designated storage facilities to ensure uninterrupted supply during emergencies.

The ADC Namchi also emphasized the critical role of the Information and Public Relations (IPR) department in ensuring effective dissemination of information during disaster situations. The department was directed to issue timely updates, including road status reports, through official social media channels, while also coordinating with other press media to ensure public access to verified and reliable information.

He also urged the Power Grid to identify and restore vulnerable power lines and towers before the onset of the monsoon. Furthermore, it was directed that all hill-cutting and excavation activities be suspended from 1st May till 30th September as a precautionary measure to prevent landslides and other monsoon-related hazards.

An open discussion was also held among various stakeholders wherein the stakeholders put forth various suggestions to ensure and address proper and effective coordination in managing challenges during the onset and aftermath of a disaster.

During the meeting, the welcome address was given by DPO DDMA Suraj Rai while the vote of thanks was delivered by Namchi SDM Saran Kalikotey.