Udupi Administration Steps Up Monsoon Preparedness
Udupi, May 19, 2026: Deputy Commissioner Swaroopa TK directed officials to remain fully prepared to handle floods and other rain-related emergencies in the district, with the monsoon expected to arrive by May 26.
Chairing a monsoon preparedness meeting at the Rajathadri Deputy Commissioner’s office in Udupi, Swaroopa T.K. instructed all departments to keep rescue equipment ready and take precautionary measures to effectively manage natural disasters during the rainy season.
The Deputy Commissioner directed urban and rural local bodies to clean drains and water channels before the onset of rains to ensure smooth flow of water and prevent flooding and disease outbreaks. She also instructed officials to appoint nodal officers for emergency disaster management during periods of heavy rainfall.
Municipalities, town panchayats and other urban local bodies were asked to operate round-the-clock control rooms and maintain constant coordination with taluk offices during the monsoon. She also stressed continuous water quality testing and directed officials to take immediate remedial measures wherever contaminated water is detected.
Expressing dissatisfaction over incomplete reports from gram panchayats, the DC directed all 155 gram panchayats in the district to conduct water quality tests and submit reports on contamination and corrective measures taken.
To address monsoon-related issues on national highways, he instructed officials to form monsoon task force teams and establish emergency helplines for public grievances. She also directed authorities to immediately remove trees that fall across roads during heavy rain and wind.
Referring to accidents caused by roadside parking near Maravanthe Beach, he instructed officials to install “No Parking” signboards and remove unauthorised roadside stalls in the area.
The Deputy Commissioner directed local bodies and Forest Department officials to jointly identify and remove dangerous trees in urban and rural areas. MESCOM officials were instructed to restore disrupted power supply without delay during emergencies.
Health officials were asked to take preventive measures against communicable diseases such as dengue and malaria and maintain sufficient stocks of medicines and vaccines. Health department control rooms should function round the clock during the monsoon, he said.
She also instructed officials to remove unauthorised roadside banners, fence open ponds and water pits in villages, repair dilapidated school buildings on priority, and keep suitable buildings ready to function as relief centres during emergencies.
Officials were directed to identify flood-prone areas in advance and maintain details of boats and trained swimmers available in taluks for rescue operations.
Warning boards prohibiting swimming should be installed near abandoned mining pits filled with rainwater to prevent accidents, she said. Authorities were also instructed to inspect and repair damaged footbridges in the district.
On coastal safety, the Deputy Commissioner directed officials to form a coastal erosion prevention and management committee and conduct inspections in vulnerable coastal areas before peak monsoon.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Abid Gadyal, ASP Sudhakar Nayak, Assistant Commissioner Rashmi, district-level officers and tahsildars attended the meeting.
