Paderu (ASR District): District collector AS Dinesh Kumar directed officials to take all precautionary measures to prevent loss of life and property because of heavy rains lashing the district for the past two days.

During a teleconference held on Sunday with officials from irrigation, revenue, police, transport, fisheries, Panchayat raj, roads and buildings, agriculture and other departments, the collector instructed them to work in coordination and alert peopleliving in the low-lying areas. He said that control rooms should be set up and flood situations should be constantly monitored.

The collector also ordered arrangements for essential commodities, drinking water, generators, and emergency supplies. He stressed that announcements should be made to caution people, and the distribution of relief materials must be planned.

He particularly cautioned fishermen not to venture into the waters. Areas prone to inundation must be identified, and people, especially pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, the elderly, and those needing medical help, should be shifted to rehabilitation centres without delay.

He also directed that if roads are damaged and transport is disrupted, immediate restoration works should be carried out. Joint collector Dr MJ Abhishek Gowda, ITDA Project Officers of Rampachodavaram and Chintoor, District Revenue Officer K Padmalatha, special deputy collector, divisional-levelofficers, MPDOs, and tahsildars from the affected mandals participated in the teleconference.