Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal
Bantwal, April 25: “Officials must be fully prepared to face the monsoon. Act promptly from a central position, respond to public concerns swiftly, and take all precautionary measures to prevent any untoward incidents,” warned Bantwal tahsildar Archana Bhat in a stern message to officers.
She was addressing a preparatory meeting on monsoon readiness held at the Bantwal taluk panchayat auditorium in the presence of taluk panchayat executive officer Sachin Kumar. She instructed that all departments must work as a team and respond effectively to the problems faced by the public.
Tahsildar Bhat directed the CDPO (Child Development Project Officer) to identify culverts near anganwadi centres and create a WhatsApp group for anganwadi helpers to report issues directly. She stressed that during the monsoon, riverbanks tend to overflow, and strict advisories must be issued to prevent people from entering such areas.
Cautionary boards should be installed in sensitive areas like Navooru, Ajilamogaru, and other town municipal limits adjacent to riverbanks. Revenue officers were reminded of their responsibility to obtain reports on care centres in the taluk and ensure they remain in good condition. She also instructed arrangements be made to relocate families residing in flood-prone areas.
Gram panchayats were advised to remain highly alert and identify low-lying culverts that are prone to submersion. Referring to last year’s monsoon challenges, particularly along the national highway stretch, she urged the KNRCL (National Highway contractor) company and staff to take extra care to avoid repeat issues this year.
She instructed that service road works must be completed swiftly and that roads with heavy public use should be prioritised. Drainage on flyovers should be monitored to prevent water stagnation. Construction sites should not cause inconvenience to the public, and care should be taken to avoid traffic disruptions caused by waterlogging or other hazards, she said.
A PDO (Panchayat Development Officer) from Golthamajalu in Kalladka reported that the gram panchayat building was in a dangerous condition and required a retaining wall. Company staff assured the Tahsildar that highway works would be completed within six months and the Kalladka flyover would be opened next month.
Tahsildar Bhat directed PDOs to remove banners placed dangerously along the highways. She warned that if gusty winds cause trees or hoardings to fall onto roads and endanger motorists, the respective officials would be held accountable.
Regarding the old Panemangalore bridge, built during British rule, the Tahsildar said a request had been made to TMC engineer D’Mello to carry out a structural capacity assessment. However, since no such report had been submitted, she instructed the TMC chief officer to suspend engineer D’Mello for negligence.
She further directed the forest department to cut down trees posing a threat to roads and buildings and to clear necessary areas by removing obstructive vegetation. At Peraje, although the company had constructed drains as part of the highway project, the accumulation of silt was preventing water flow, which could lead to flooding at the start of the monsoon. She ordered the drains to be cleared immediately.
She noted that at Sajipa, Kallagundi, and Benjanapadavu, abandoned laterite stone quarry sites were filling with rainwater, posing significant hazards. She instructed notices be issued to landowners to fill the pits at the earliest, failing which legal action would follow. She also stressed that gram panchayats should be vigilant when granting permission for earth excavation, noting that homes in some areas were at risk of collapse. Immediate response is essential to address current issues, she added.
At the beginning of the meeting, the tahsildar publicly rebuked officials who either arrived late or failed to attend the session, making her dissatisfaction clear.