HYDERABAD - To tackle monsoon-related emergencies, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) has decided to set up a disaster management wing at its head office in Khairatabad.
The proposal was floated during a special meeting of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) with representatives of all departments like revenue, police, HMWS&SB, fire and others in which they reviewed the arrangements to be made to tackle the issues that crop up during the rainy season.
The Water Board generally sets up emergency response teams (ERTs) to tackle emergencies during the rainy season and take precautionary measures along trunk sewers in the 17 operation and maintenance (O&M) divisions of the GHMC.
"However, the Water Board does not have a permanent disaster management wing. Now, we have decided to set up one and general managers of O&M divisions concerned will act as in-charges of the wing. Along with the GM, a five-member team will assist him," a senior HMWS&SB official told STOI.
The Water Board will provide a van and equipment to each division. "We have already sanctioned Rs 3 lakh to each O&M division to purchase equipment in case of any emergency," he said.
A round-the-clock disaster management control room would be opened in a day or two at the HMWS&SB head office. Citizens can lodge complaints on missing manhole covers, overflowing sewers, pollution of drinking water and water stagnation. "We will coordinate with the GHMC to solve problems," the official added.
Staff would work in three shifts at the control room and each complaint would be recorded, posted online and forwarded to the in-charges of the disaster management wing in the O&Ms concerned.
"We have given strict orders to all the in-charges to attend to the complaints as early as possible and report to the control room once it gets resolved," the official said. "The control room and the emergency teams will work till the end of the monsoon season," the official replied.
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