E-Paper
CM Omar reviews winter preparedness in Kashmir
CM Omar Abdullah conducted a department-wise review of the winter preparedness measures of all line departments and emphasised the need for a robust mechanism to minimize public inconvenience during severe weather conditions
For smooth and uninterrupted delivery of essential services and functioning of vital installations across the Kashmir division, CM Omar Abdullah on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting in Srinagar to review the preparedness of various departments to address challenges posed by harsh winter conditions, particularly in the snow-bound zones of Kashmir Valley and Jammu Division.
The meeting was attended by all five council of ministers, including deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary.
The CM conducted a department-wise review of the winter preparedness measures of all line departments and emphasised the need for a robust mechanism to minimize public inconvenience during severe weather conditions.
Omar also engaged with deputy commissioners to assess district-level preparedness and urged them to prioritise timely and effective responses to weather-related challenges and stressed the importance of keeping men and machinery in a state of readiness to ensure the routine functioning of essential installations.
“CM directed departments to prioritise uninterrupted trade, transport, and essential supplies while addressing disruptions caused by snow, waterlogging, or power outages. On snow clearance, he was briefed that a sufficient number of hi-tech snow clearance machines have been deployed by the R&B Department, SMC, MED, BRO, and NHAI, with additional machines on standby to handle heavy snowfall,” the official spokesman said adding that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah instructed the concerned authorities to focus on clearing key routes, including inter-district highways and roads leading to hospitals, power grids, water supply systems, and fire and emergency services.
“The meeting was informed that adequate stocks of ration, petrol, diesel, and LPG are available to meet the needs of residents for several months. Additional provisions have been made to ensure timely distribution across districts,” the spokesman said adding that the Chief Minister directed for establishment of joint control rooms in all districts to handle winter-related complaints promptly.
The spokesman said the CM stressed the importance of a swift response system to minimise public inconvenience and ensure seamless delivery of essential services.
Reviewing the health sector’s readiness, the chief minister directed the health department to ensure adequate stocks of medicines, oxygen cylinders, and emergency supplies across all hospitals and asked the officials for maintaining functional central heating systems in healthcare facilities and ensuring the deployment of medical personnel in snowbound areas.
The Chief Minister instructed KPDCL engineers to prioritize the restoration of electricity, particularly for essential installations and directed timely replacement of damaged transformers and urged for protection of field staff with proper safety gear to prevent accidents during repair work.
