Health Minister chairs monsoon preparedness meeting in Velachery

Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ma. Subramanian heading a monsoon preparedness meeting for Adyar Zone (XIII) on Wednesday in Velachery with multiple Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), elected representatives and ward councillors.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ma. Subramanian heads a monsoon preparedness meeting for Adyar Zone (XIII) on Wednesday in Velachery with multiple Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), elected representatives and ward councillors.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ma. Subramanian chaired a monsoon preparedness meeting for Adyar Zone (XIII) on Wednesday in Velachery with multiple Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), elected representatives, including Velachery MLA Asaan Maulaana, Deputy Mayor M. Magesh Kumaar, and Zone 13 Ward Committee Chairman R. Durai Raj, along with ward councillors.

Minister announced similar preparatory meetings scheduled for the South region, to be held on October 10 in Valasaravakkam (Zone IX), October 15 in Kodambakkam (Zone X), October 16 in Perungudi (Zone XIV), and October 17 in Sholinganallur (Zone XV).

During the meeting, the Minister said the progress of infrastructural work undertaken in extended areas by various departments over the last three years has been better than in the decade preceding the DMK rule. Mr. Subramanian mentioned that preventive measures need to be taken for monsoon-related diseases in coordination with health, school, and social welfare departments and the respective regional officials.

Officials provided details of desilting and said a total of 189.8 km of stormwater drain alongside roads have been desilted so far. However, 36.63 km of stormwater drain still need to be desilted.

Stating that the sluice at the Adyar river disposal site near Nagi Reddy Garden and Kalaignar Hospital required attention, the officials said the Adyar river bund at Kottur needed to be raised to prevent flooding. Desilting and de-weeding operations in the South Buckingham Canal near Thiruvanmiyur were necessary. The wall at Veerangal Odai must also be raised to mitigate flood risks, the officials added.

Geetha Ganesh of AGS Colony Residents Welfare Association said a buffer zone around Velachery lake has to be created by pre-emptying the waterbody ahead of the monsoon to prevent flooding. Infrastructure improvements in AGS Colony, including installation of more pumps and consistent monitoring of drainage systems, was also put forth.

Residents of Ward 168 raised concerns about manholes on Velachery Main Road, urging the Highways Department to replace them. Officials assured that manhole chamber covers would be repaired within a week, as directed by the Minister at the meeting.

Swathi, Kasturba Nagar RWA, complained about sewage being linked in an unauthorised manner to the stormwater drains on 3rd Cross Street and called for removal of encroachments on drains. She also raised issues about drain desilting near the CMRL in Indira Nagar, which officials confirmed was completed.

A resident from Shastri Nagar requested advance intimation of such meetings and expressed concerns about sewage blockages, noting that the sub-pumping station for sewage would only be ready next year. The resident also mentioned that the road on 4th Cross Street had not yet been laid, raising flood risk. Deputy Mayor said the work would be expedited.

Another resident from Janakpuri 1st Street complained that the roads had not been milled, resulting in rise in level which could cause issues during the rains. The laying of milled roads before the onset of the monsoon was discussed to improve road conditions and reduce risk of potholes.