‘Finish pre-monsoon work by May 15’

NAVI MUMBAI: The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) chief, Abhijit Bangar, has set a deadline of May 15 for the completion of all pre-monsoon work in the city. He held a special meeting with various agencies and departments to review the situation and issued instructions accordingly.

Bangar said, “All civic development work in the city should be completed by May 15 and if it is still necessary to be taken up during monsoon, then the area should be secured through barricading. If there is any negligence, both the contract and the civic officials will be responsible.”

He said that instructions have been given to ensure that the roads remain pothole-free. No road should be dug up in monsoon, unless for emergency work like power failure. The debris from the newly-constructed roads should be removed soon.

Bangar has asked for the sewage lines to be cleaned in time, all manholes properly covered and silt removed from nullahs. He also asked for immediate repair of holding pond flap gates and pumping stations. Areas where water stagnation takes place have also to be taken care of. Trimming of trees should also be completed before May 15.

The concerned officials have been asked to keep a track of the high tides and be alert to heavy rainfall at such times and take requisite action.

The commissioner gave instructions on maintaining adequate medicine supplies in the civic hospitals, urban health posts, etc. and measures and awareness to be taken to prevent spread of water borne diseases.

Emergency 24x7 control rooms will be started in the city at the fire stations in Belapur, Nerul, Vashi and Airoli from May 25. Contact numbers of all concerned agencies will be published in a book form and also uploaded in NMMC’s website.

BACHCHAN KUMAR/HT A tree being trimmed ahead of monsoon in Vashi .