India, July 7 -- After facing criticism over rain-related deaths (16 at last count) and the closure of major highways due to landslides, the Maharashtra government has activated a coordinated, multi-agency disaster-response mechanism, which is being monitored 24/7 by the chief minister's office (CMO).

At the centre of the response is the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) at Mantralaya, formerly known as the Disaster Management Cell. The SEOC functions as the nodal coordination centre linking the government with district administrations, municipal corporations, central agencies and emergency response forces such as the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Railways, the Central Water Commission and, whenever required, the ar...