Divisional Commissioner Reviews Winter Preparedness; Stresses Seamless Service Delivery and Effective Coordination
SRINAGAR: In view of the approaching winter season, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Anshul Garg, today chaired a comprehensive meeting with Deputy Commissioners and Heads of Departments to review the region’s preparedness for the forthcoming cold months.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioners, Directors of FCS&CA, ULB, and IMD, Commissioner SMC, Chief Engineers of KPDCL, KPTCL, PHE, R&B, PMGSY, and officers from Horticulture, BRO, NH, NHIDCL, and other departments concerned.
The Divisional Commissioner conducted a detailed review of snow clearance strategies of key departments including MED, BRO, PMGSY, SMC, ULB, and R&B, emphasizing priority clearance of roads leading to vital installations and habitations to ensure uninterrupted movement and delivery of essential services.
He also assessed the buffer stocking of ration, LPG, petroleum products, and distribution transformers, along with the functioning of water supply schemes, lift stations, and deployment of water tankers.
Mr. Garg directed Deputy Commissioners to ensure seamless inter-departmental coordination to avoid service disruptions and called for advance vetting of road stretches to be cleared by respective agencies. He instructed departments to complete tendering and contractor allotments by October-end and to map manpower and machinery for timely snow clearance.
KPDCL was directed to enhance workshop capacity to minimize transformer repair time and maintain adequate buffer stocks of transformers, poles, wires, and transformer oil in all districts. Both KPDCL and KPTCL were asked to expedite tree branch cutting to prevent power line damage.
The Director Health Services was instructed to ensure full staffing of all health institutions, deploy 4×4 ambulances in every district, and ensure smooth operation of 108 emergency services. Deputy Commissioners were asked to identify critical patients, elderly persons, and pregnant women for early evacuation or transfer to safer locations, while Gynaecologists and Pediatricians will be posted to Gurez on a rotational basis.
Regarding fuel supplies, the Div Com directed agencies to ensure a 20-day buffer stock of LPG by November 20, and adequate buffer stocks of petrol and diesel. The Director FCS&CA was asked to ensure sufficient buffer ration stocks, especially in remote and high-altitude areas.
Taking note of rising fire incidents during winters, the Div Com directed departments to launch public awareness campaigns on safe use of electrical appliances and ensure fire tenders are stationed at critical locations for quick response.
He also reviewed communication preparedness, directing effective use of satellite phones by Nodal Officers and emergency teams. BSNL was asked to expedite installation of telecom towers in uncovered areas to ensure uninterrupted connectivity and to use telecom platforms for public advisories, particularly for farmers.
The Div Com directed DC Ganderbal to ensure continuous operation of the Sonmarg Tunnel to facilitate winter tourism. SMC and other civic agencies were instructed to ensure timely snow clearance in the city and dewatering of low-lying areas.
To strengthen coordination, the OSD to Div Com was appointed as the Divisional-Level Nodal Officer, while all departments were asked to designate their respective nodal officers for better information sharing and response.
The Divisional Commissioner reiterated the need for proactive planning, inter-agency coordination, and efficient execution to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of essential services and minimize public inconvenience during the winter months.
