As the monsoon season approaches, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is intensifying its efforts to fortify the city’s resilience against potential disasters.
Under the leadership of Disaster Management Officer Ganesh Sonune, PMC is proactively preparing to confront challenges that may arise during the rainy season. Sonune underscored the critical importance of preparedness, citing Pune’s vulnerability to floods due to its geographical features, including the Mula and Mutha rivers flowing through the city and the presence of the Khadakwasla project’s dam network. To address these risks, PMC has placed a strong emphasis on disaster management protocols in anticipation of the monsoon’s arrival. Central to PMC’s strategy is collaboration, as emphasised by Sonune. The corporation is actively engaging with the District Disaster Management Authority and adhering to the directives of the Collector to ensure seamless coordination among all city departments. Moreover, PMC is liaising with Pune Metro officials to address potential drainage issues caused by metro infrastructure in certain areas.
PMC has identified three primary disaster categories – floods, road accidents, and fires – and has conducted comprehensive training sessions from December to March to equip over 2000 municipal employees with the necessary skills for disaster response, search and rescue operations, and safeguarding public property. Civil security forces have played a vital role in these training initiatives. In tandem with training efforts, PMC is meticulously formulating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) tailored to the city’s specific disaster management requirements. Once finalised, these SOPs will be disseminated to all zonal offices of the Municipal Corporation, ensuring uniformity and efficiency in disaster response protocols citywide. By prioritising disaster preparedness and adopting a proactive approach to address potential challenges, PMC is demonstrating its commitment to safeguarding the well-being of Pune residents and minimising the impact of natural disasters during the monsoon season.
