Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on May 2 chaired a high-level review meeting to assess the state’s preparedness for the approaching monsoon season. The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioners and officials of the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).
Emphasizing a coordinated and timely disaster response, CM Sangma directed all DCs to engage closely with Block Disaster Management Committees (BDMCs), followed by meetings with Village Disaster Management Committees (VDMCs) and Village Executive Committees (VECs).
He stressed on grassroots activation and called for the full operationalisation of VDMCs through the VECs to strengthen early response systems. The Chief Minister also directed departments to urgently conduct disaster preparedness drills in districts that have not yet done so.
Additionally, Sangma instructed departments to draft targeted disaster mitigation guidelines and utilise data on soil types and water bodies to map vulnerable zones, especially those at risk of floods and landslides.