Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, May 30: With relentless rains pounding Dakshina Kannada, the government’s top priority is to prevent loss of life, declared district in-charge minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday.

Chairing a high-level meeting at the Circuit House in Mangaluru, Rao reviewed the district’s rain preparedness with senior officials. He directed immediate relocation of residents in landslide-prone areas, urging early identification of such zones.

“Local officials must respond to public complaints without delay,” he instructed, adding that taluk and district-level control rooms must operate 24x7 throughout the monsoon season.

Flood zones on Highways
Rao took aim at recurring monsoon disruptions in areas like Pumpwell, Kottara Chowki, and Kettikal along the national highway. He urged the National Highways Authority to adopt long-term technological solutions to fix these flood-prone stretches permanently.

MESCOM under fire
The minister also issued a stern warning to MESCOM, demanding swift responses to electricity complaints. “We’ve received reports that JE/AE-level officers are not answering public calls. This will be taken seriously,” he cautioned.

Providing a damage update, deputy commissioner Dr K Anand informed that this year’s rains have already partially damaged 286 homes and completely destroyed 22 across Dakshina Kannada district.

MLAs Manjunath Bhandary, Ivan D’Souza, Disaster Management Authority Commissioner Honnamma, and other senior officials were present at the meeting.