‘TN-Alert’ app developed to disseminate real-time weather data in Tamil: CM Stalin

CHENNAI: Advising the whole government machinery to act as a ‘team’ to alleviate the monsoon sufferings of the people, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday said that the state government has launched a new “TN- Alert” app to disseminate real-time weather data to the people in Tamil.

Chairing the monsoon preparedness meeting with all department officials at the state secretariat ahead of the ensuing North East Monsoon season, Stalin referred to the inauguration of the upgraded State Emergency Control Centre on August 22, and said, “We (State) have designed a new app to periodically provide data to the people, which will enable them to plan required precautionary measures. The state government has designed the “TN-Alert” app to provide data pertaining to weather forecast, current weather, recorded rainfall level and storage level of reservoirs in Tamil to the people.”

Also read: CM Stalin chairs monsoon preparedness review meet in Chennai

Stating that the upgraded emergency control centre operates with multi-disciplinary experts, the CM said that only if real-time rainfall data is available can we efficiently undertake water discharge management in reservoirs and provide accurate flood warning.

Pointing out that the state government has installed 1,400 automatic real-time rainfall level recorders and 100 automatic met forecast centres for collecting real-time data, the CM said that the Tamil Nadu government is taking measures to provide cyclones and heavy rains forecasts using state of art communication equipment to fishermen setting out into the sea for deep sea fishing.

Not a single life must be lost in calamities

Adding that Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has set up a real-time flood warning system to provide ward and street wise data on flood warning, Stalin referred to the devastation caused by NE monsoon in Chennai, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi last year and said that, The government machinery must act like a ‘team’ with the intention to prevent even a single life loss.

Urging the field workers of the state government to work with the people and move them to relief shelters before floods and provide them potable drinking water, toilet facilities, uninterrupted power supply and food on time, the CM advised the officials to deploy the required number of motors, chainsaws and excavators and boats near low lying areas.

Instructing officials to complete various flood mitigation measures before the onset of the NE monsoon, the CM said that senior officials with full knowledge of a district must be appointed as its monitoring officer and they must begin the works before the onset of monsoon.

The monitoring officers of every zone of GCC must inspect the monsoon preparedness in their respective zones.

They must inspect the status of the annual desilting works, clearing of blocks in bridges and culverts, strengthening of bunds of water bodies and attending weak overhead electric cables during the inspection, the CM added, asking the district administrations to plan in advance to extend necessary support to elderly people, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and disabled people.

Ministers of various stakeholder departments, state Chief Secretary N Muruganandam among the bureaucrats took part in the meeting.