About 300 buildings have been readied across Kolkata to accommodate displaced people if large parts of the city get inundated by the latest bout of rain.
Dry food like biscuits, puffed rice and chira have been stocked in the rain shelters or in strategic locations from where they can be taken to the shelters quickly.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) runs more than 250 primary schools and about 100 community halls.
“Whenever residents need to be evacuated because of natural calamities, we accommodate them in schools and community halls. This time, too, we have informed the caretakers of the schools and community halls that they may have to open the doors for displaced people any time,” said a KMC official.
“Usually, police or local councillors inform officials or the KMC control room about the need for evacuation. We open the doors of the shelters and conduct the relocation jointly with the police.”
The city police have kept 22 disaster management teams ready. The teams are deployed in areas prone to waterlogging, such as Kalighat and Kidderpore, and at other strategic locations across the city.
The Sector V authorities had kept dry food and various equipment needed for rescue at a multistoried car parking lot near the Technopolis intersection.
In New Town, the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre can be turned into a storm shelter, if needed, for people from low-lying areas.
The Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation as well as South Dum Dum Municipality have kept dry rations at their borough offices. If needed, at least 30 schools in the area and several clubs can be turned into shelters for displaced people.
In Duttabad, on the fringes of Salt Lake, stoves, dry rations and plastic sheets have been stocked in a community centre. Duttabad was badly affected by the latest bout of rainfall.
South Dum Dum Municipality has stationed a disaster management unit sourced from the district authorities at their office near the Nagerbazar crossing.
Apart from this, more than a dozen schools and several clubs have been asked to be ready to shelter people.
Tapas Chatterjee, the MLA of Rajarhat-New Town, said they had kept provisions ready at more than 50 clubs and borough offices.
