Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 21 : Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Tuesday conducted field inspections to review precautionary and preventive measures being undertaken across Chennai to face the Northeast Monsoon.
Accompanied by senior officials from various government departments, Udhayanidhi Stalin personally inspected the Narayanapuram Lake in Pallikaranai, which has reached its full capacity and is overflowing. He also examined the outflow of water from the lake's surplus channel, according to an official release.
The Deputy Chief Minister carried out intensive inspections in seven key locations, including Sholinganallur, Pallikaranai, and Narayanapuram Lake, to assess the progress of flood-prevention and stormwater drainage works.
He instructed officials to take urgent and permanent measures to prevent flooding in South Chennai due to the impact of the monsoon. Udhayanidhi emphasized that precautionary works must be expedited to ensure the safety of residents and directed that motor pumps and other necessary equipment be kept ready to immediately clear water stagnation in low-lying areas.
Earlier in the day, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin reviewed measures to tackle heavy rains with officials, as the regional weather office has issued intense downpour alerts for several coastal districts.
Many districts of the State, including Tiruvallur, Chennai, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu, and the Delta districts, are witnessing heavy rain.
"I conducted an advisory meeting today through a video conference regarding the measures to tackle the heavy rains currently lashing Tiruvallur, Chennai, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu, and Delta districts," Stalin said in a post on X."I have instructed that immediate action be taken on complaints received from the public and that rice procurement operations be carried out without any lapses, and I have inquired about the precautionary measures that have been taken. People's representatives and the entire government machinery will work tirelessly in the field, and we will protect the people!," he added.
The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai, has issued orange and yellow alerts for various parts of the State for the next four days, as weather systems over the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea continue to feed moisture into the region.
The RMC has issued an orange alert for seven coastal and delta districts, including Ramanathapuram, Cuddalore and Thanjavur and Puducherry, till 8.30 am on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, in view of the continuous heavy rainfall across Thoothukudi district, Minister for Social Welfare and Women's Rights, P. Geetha Jeevan, convened a review meeting with departmental officials at the District Collector's office on Tuesday.