5.17 The Department of Agriculture

1. Find out all the areas prone to bund destruction and report it to the district disaster management authority before 30-05-2020.

2. In case of emergency sand-filled coir sacks/jio tubes should be provided to protect houses near shores, riverbanks, and paddy field bunds in coordination with the Irrigation Department and Local Self Government department.

3. Sand-filled coir sacks/jio tubes/pumps should be provided if necessary to reduce agricultural loss in case of bund destruction during the flood. To purchase the same, the rate contract can be invited in accordance with Ltr. No. 33-2/2015-NDM-I dated 17th April 2015 from Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India. The required format is given in ‘Handbook on Disaster Management- Volume 2- Emergency Operations Centres & Emergency Support Functions Plan, Kerala’.

4. For drying the areas affected with bund destruction, the bund has to be covered properly. In such cases Coir sacks, jio tubes/pump sets have to be used and the cost required for the same can be drawn from GO (Ms) No. 194/2015/DMD dated 20-05-2015, item 4 – Clearance of Affected Areas 224502-101-94-Flood-Other items.

5. Should make sure in coordination with the Irrigation department that the powerful pumps under the custody of the Irrigation department in Alappuzha are in working condition. The permission of district disaster management authority should be obtained for deployment and transfer of these pumps to other districts.

6. The farm loss is collected through the SMART Application and submitted to the Relief Commissioner with the recommendation of the amount required in the State Disaster Response Fund by the Secretary of the Department each month. Distribute the amount as DBT

7. Allow State EOC to check the information on SMART application and download the information up to the bottom.

8. Check if there is a risk of flooding or landslides / droughts in water and soil from places where chemicals and pesticides are stored. Instruct the shops and stock yards at these locations to move them to higher areas during the rainy season.