Kalyan: The Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) held a pre-monsoon meeting on May 6 to finalise disaster management strategies for the upcoming rainy season. The focus was on ensuring public safety and minimising damage during monsoon emergencies.

The meeting was chaired by Abhinav Goyal, municipal commissioner and attended by municipal officials, the fire brigade, police, and representatives from MMRDA, MSCB, and MSRDC.

Goyal directed that control rooms at both the municipal headquarters and ward offices remain operational 24/7 throughout the season. He instructed officers to submit daily reports detailing manpower and machinery deployed for drain cleaning and flood prevention work. Fire and rescue teams were ordered to stay on high alert with equipment and personnel ready at all times.

Health officials were asked to monitor for disease outbreaks that commonly arise during the monsoon, while ward officers were instructed to remove dangerous hoardings and unstable structures that could collapse during storms.

Namdev Chaudhary, chief fire officer, confirmed that the city’s six fire stations are fully stocked with boats, life jackets, buoys, and other rescue gear. Emergency teams will be deployed across flood-prone areas to ensure quick response.

In preparation for health emergencies, special 10-bed wards will be set up in the two main municipal hospitals, said Dr Deepa Shukla, medical health officer.

To manage possible evacuations, the municipal corporation has requested police assistance in relocating residents from high-risk buildings. Sanjay Jadhav, deputy commissioner, added that municipal schools will be converted into temporary shelters if large-scale evacuations are required.