Srinagar, Oct 03 (KNO): Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Friday chaired a high-level meeting at the Civil Secretariat to review the preparedness of various departments in view of the weather advisory issued by the Meteorological Centre.
MET has forecast an active Western Disturbance likely to affect Jammu and Kashmir from October 4, bringing rain and snowfall to several areas.
The Chief Minister emphasized that all concerned departments must remain in a state of full readiness to minimize possible damage to fruit crops, ensure uninterrupted supply of essential services and keep all major roads and highways functional during the weather disturbance.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Agriculture, Javid Ahmed Dar; Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs and Transport, Satish Sharma; Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo; Additional Chief Secretary Jal Shakti, Shaleen Kabra; Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister, Dheeraj Gupta; Principal Secretary Home and PWD; Secretary Education; Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir; all Deputy Commissioners; MD KPDCL; Chief Engineers of Irrigation & Flood Control, PHE, Project SAMPARK and BEACON; officers and representatives of NHAI, NHIDCL, and the Meteorological Centre J&K, among others. Outstation officers attended the meeting through virtual mode.
Reviewing the arrangements, the Chief Minister directed the Agriculture and Horticulture Departments to issue timely advisories to farmers and orchardists and ensure the smooth transportation of fruit to terminal markets, particularly during peak harvesting season.
He asked the Public Works Department and national highway agencies, including NHIDCL, NHAI, SAMPARK and BEACON, to keep adequate machinery on standby for snow and debris clearance at vulnerable spots to maintain uninterrupted road connectivity.
Similarly, the Power Development and Jal Shakti Departments were instructed to deploy quick-response teams for immediate restoration of electricity and water supply in case of disruptions, while the Disaster Management Department was tasked with activating control rooms and maintaining close coordination with the district administrations to monitor the situation round-the-clock.
The Chief Minister also directed police and traffic authorities to regulate vehicular movement on highways and other vital roads, and to issue travel advisories as and when required for the safety of the general public.
Laying special focus on healthcare preparedness, Omar Abdullah instructed the Health Department to ensure availability of ambulances at vulnerable spots and to identify patients requiring urgent evacuation so that necessary steps could be taken without delay in the event of an emergency. The Information Department, he said, must ensure that timely updates and weather advisories are widely disseminated through all available channels so that people remain informed and can take precautionary measures in advance.
The Chief Minister also reviewed the stock position of ration, medicines, fuel and LPG.
He was informed that sufficient stocks are available till November and supplies are being replenished regularly. Such areas in Jammu division which usually get affected during adverse weather conditions have also been stocked adequately to avoid shortages.
To streamline snow and debris clearance, the Chief Minister directed that different roads be specifically assigned to designated agencies to avoid duplication of efforts and confusion. He called for unified control rooms to be established for better coordination, stressing that clearance operations should be undertaken in a continuous flow to ensure timely restoration of road connectivity.
Underscoring the importance of preparedness, the Chief Minister said: “The government’s top priority is to remain fully prepared and responsive to any situation arising from the anticipated weather disturbance. Every department must work in close coordination to safeguard people, prevent loss to crops, and protect vital infrastructure.”—(KNO)