Punjab chief secretary holds second high-level meeting

In the meeting, a report on the current situation was taken from the administrative secretaries of the departments concerned, and the deputy commissioners and SSPs of all districts

Punjab chief secretary Anurag Verma on Tuesday held another high-level meeting, the second in as many days, to maintain a constant watch on the situation caused by heavy rains across the state and in Himachal Pradesh for the past few days and to conduct relief operations effectively at the lower level.

Steps should be taken to provide information to people about the arrangements being made for them so that they can take advantage of the facility, as protecting people’s lives is the top priority of the state government, the Punjab chief secretary told officials. (HT Photo)

In the meeting, a report on the current situation was taken from the administrative secretaries of the departments concerned, and the deputy commissioners and SSPs of all districts.

The chief secretary directed the respective district administrations that wherever people were stuck due to low-lying areas or waterlogging, they should be evacuated safely and alternative arrangements for food, drink and accommodation should be made on war footing.

Steps should be taken to provide information to people about the arrangements being made for them so that they can take advantage of the facility, as protecting people’s lives is the top priority of the state government.

At present, five NDRF teams are deployed in Rupnagar, three in Mohali, two in Patiala and one each in Jalandhar, Fatehgarh Sahib and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar. Kapurthala and Tarn Tarn wanted one NDRF team in their districts. Similarly, boats, life jackets, water extraction machines and food packets were directed to be provided to people in water-affected areas.

The chief secretary asked the health department to make advance arrangements for the prevention of water-borne diseases and said there should be no shortage of medicines. He directed the water supply department to provide adequate drinking water to people.

The animal husbandry department was instructed to activate the field staff for combating diseases affecting animals. The local government department was asked to arrange fogging and spraying. The rural development and panchayat department informed that all staff was being continuously deployed in villages to help people. PSPCL chairman briefed that wherever the power supply had been affected, it will be repaired and restored immediately.