Chaired by Revenue Minister K Rajan, the session evaluated the current status of readiness and underscored the urgency of completing pending pre-monsoon tasks. The government has directed all departments to fast-track their preparations in light of the Indian Meteorological Department’s (IMD) forecast that the monsoon could arrive as early as May 27—significantly ahead of the usual June 1 onset date.
Minister Rajan instructed district administrations to hold region-specific meetings by May 20 to formulate detailed action plans addressing potential monsoon-related challenges. The meeting also emphasized the importance of conducting training programs to ensure the district and taluk-level incident response systems are efficient and timely.
To better manage disaster risks, the government ordered the updating of lists of residents living in vulnerable and disaster-prone areas at local government and village levels. Additionally, a separate register of individuals residing in landslide-prone zones is to be compiled, complete with mobile contact information to enable prompt dissemination of alerts and warnings.
Special district-level review meetings are scheduled monthly from June through September, chaired by district ministers or collectors, to monitor ongoing preparedness efforts. Furthermore, a disaster management plan is being mandated specifically for tribal hamlets to safeguard these communities.
Highlighting the importance of community participation, the meeting also proposed volunteer training initiatives in partnership with the all-women Kudumbashree network to create a dedicated disaster response force.
Coordination across all levels of government, from wards to the state, was strongly stressed. The Chief Secretary, Dr. Jayathilak, has been assigned to oversee statewide coordination, while district collectors will manage operations within their respective jurisdictions.
The IMD’s prediction of an early monsoon marks the earliest onset over the Indian mainland since 2009, when the rains arrived on May 23. Kerala’s proactive approach in ramping up its preparedness aims to mitigate risks and protect lives and property as the monsoon approaches.
Sources By Agencies