Pune News: Divisional Commissioner Directs All Depts For Full Monsoon Preparedness Amid Heavy Rain Forecast
Pune News: Divisional Commissioner Directs All Depts For Full Monsoon Preparedness Amid Heavy Rain Forecast
Pune, May 15, 2025: With the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting above-normal rainfall this monsoon, Pune divisional commissioner Dr. Chandrakant Pulkundwar has urged all departments to be fully prepared for potential flood situations. A high-level meeting was convened on Wednesday to review disaster readiness across the division.
The meeting, held at the divisional commissioner’s office, was attended by key officials including Kolhapur Range Special IG Sunil Phulari, PCMC Commissioner Shekhar Singh, Pune Zilla Parishad CEO Gajanan Patil, PMC Additional Commissioner Omprakash Divate, PWD Chief Engineer Atul Chavan, and Resident Deputy Collector Jyoti Kadam. Officials from Sangli, Kolhapur, and Solapur also joined via video conferencing.
Dr. Pulkundwar stressed the importance of interdepartmental coordination, especially among the revenue, police, water resources, urban local bodies, and health departments. He instructed district-level coordination meetings and directed authorities to ensure availability of essential food grains and medicines at fair price shops.
“During flooding, clean drinking water must be supplied, emergency response teams must remain on standby 24×7, and public mobility should be maintained,” he said. He also directed the water resources department to adopt CDAC’s flood forecasting models and work closely with IMD. Bridges across rivers must have clearly marked danger levels, he added.
The Public Works Department (PWD) has been instructed to inspect public buildings and bridges for structural safety. Relief shelters must be prepared in advance for potential evacuations. Dr. Pulkundwar also called for interstate coordination meetings involving district collectors and the water resources department for better disaster response.
Appreciating last year’s efforts of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), he announced the deployment of two permanent NDRF teams in Pune, with a reserve unit on standby. Kolhapur, Sangli, and Satara districts will each have one team stationed. He also advised the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to plan alternate traffic routes in flood-prone zones.
Special IG Sunil Phulari shared updates on regional planning, while PCMC Commissioner Shekhar Singh emphasized the need for real-time coordination between CDAC, IMD, and the water resources department to ensure early flood warnings.
Representatives from health, animal husbandry, MSRTC, irrigation, police, and other key departments also participated in the meeting, reinforcing a united front in facing possible monsoon emergencies.
