With the southwest monsoon expected to intensify over Kerala in the coming days, district administrations have stepped up preparedness measures to mitigate the risk of weather-related disruptions. At a meeting of the District Development Committee in Kottayam, District Collector Chetan Kumar Meena directed the Local Self-Government department and other agencies to take urgent steps to remove hazardous trees and branches along roadsides and in public spaces. The committee stressed the need to ensure that school campuses are free of dangerous trees ahead of the reopening of educational institutions.Urgent measuresThe meeting also called for the speedy completion of road repair works, with departments asked to make maximum use of existing running contracts to fast-track maintenance activities. Urgent measures were ordered to clear obstructions in rivers and streams to ensure the free flow of water. The committee further directed officials to take precautionary steps to protect residents living near paddy fields from possible flooding during the monsoon season.In Pathanamthitta, the District Development Committee reviewed the progress of pre-monsoon cleaning works being carried out across the district. The meeting called for enhanced safety measures along the MC Road stretch between Enathu and Pandalam, a corridor prone to accidents. Adoor legislator C.V. Shanthakumar urged the police to strengthen traffic management arrangements to improve road safety.Aranmula MLA Abin Varkey Kodayatt said urgent review meetings involving officials would be convened to assess the progress of key infrastructure projects, including the District Stadium, Kozhencherry Bridge and the Aban flyover, which were initiated during the tenure of the previous Left Democratic Front government. Published - May 31, 2026 08:31 pm IST