Hours after assuming charge as the new chief commissioner of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), senior IAS officer Tushar Giri Nath chaired a meeting with the heads of all departments and reviewed rain preparedness and COVID-19 management. He also went around the BBMP head office and spoke to both officials and citizens.
According to a press release here on Friday, Mr. Nath stressed on better coordination between the BBMP, Bescom and BWSSB and improved response mechanism in addressing citizens’ problems, especially during the monsoon months. He said that all the control rooms, including the 63 sub-division and 8 zonal control rooms, must function efficiently and local officials must be accessible to the citizens. All control rooms must be equipped with the necessary men and machinery.
He directed officials to focus on low lying areas prone to flooding, apart from clearing blockage and silt from raja kaluves, stormwater drains and shoulder drains to ensure free flow of water.
COVID-19 management
Mr. Nath directed the health officials to keep a close watch over areas that were reporting more COVID-19 cases in the city. He stressed on increasing testing to check the spread and ensure all the government regulations on the pandemic are implemented.
BBMP’s Special Commissioner (Health) K.V. Thrilokchandra said the positivity rate in the city was 1.6% and that testing had been increased. Testing squads had been deployed at railway and bus stations. Several rounds of discussions have been held with residents’ welfare associations and other organisations.