Srinagar, May 20 (KNO): Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Baseer Ahmad Khan today directed maintaining close synergy among different wings of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (DMRR&R) Department for effective management of emergencies triggered by disaster like situations. The Advisor was speaking at a meeting held here today.
The meeting was convened to review and discuss the critical issues like Sustainable Reduction of Disaster Risk, National Disaster Management Services, Aapda Mitra, status of the appointment of Disaster Management experts and Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction. The meeting was attended through video conferencing by Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, P.K Pole, Secretary, DMRR&R, Simrandeep Singh, Chairman, JKSSB Khalid Jehangir. Director FCS&CA, Bashir Ahmad Khan and Director DMRR&R were present in person.
Threadbare discussion was also held on National seismic risk mitigation plan and development of resource personnel. Status of funds utilized for disaster management preparedness and utilization of funds released for Covid-19 management were also reviewed. Secretary, DMRR&R, gave detailed power point presentation with regard to different schemes and programmes of the department. It was given out in the meeting that the work on six pilot projects under Disaster Risk Reduction schemes are in process, which got slowed down due to Covid-19 Pandemic.
The Advisor asked the concerned to undertake the work on these schemes and also constitute an expert committee in this regard. He further asked for notifying NHW patch from Ramban to Ramsoo, which is high risk zone and be included in approved activity under Disaster management. He stressed that earthquake resistance components should be internal part of the design of all such projects. He directed the concerned to appoint a Nodal officer, who will submit monthly feedback on the progress achieved. With regard to flood related issues, the Advisor asked the concerned to identify the vulnerable spots along the river banks so that necessary works are taken up.
Taking serious note on unauthorized occupation of migrant tenements both at Kashmir and Jammu, the Advisor instructed for immediate eviction of such occupants. He also asked for streamlining the distribution of ration coupons among the migrants. Issues of displaced persons of PaJK, Chamb and West Pakistan Refugees, were also discussed in detail in the meeting. It was given out that all bottlenecks in this regard have been resolved.
The Advisor directed ensuring proper monitoring and checking of the funds disbursed among them. While discussing the status of Prime Minister’s Special Package (Recruitment and Rehabilitation}, the Chairman, JKSSRB informed that 550 selection for different posts have been done, while proposal to fill 126 posts is in pipeline. The Advisor directed the Chairman to speed up the process of filling these posts by fast tracking selection of the candidates. He also directed the Board to prepare a detailed note in this regard and submit the same to the concerned so that these posts are filled in a time bound manner—(KNO)