Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Ahmad Khan today chaired the Divisional Disaster Management Authority meeting and reviewed the overall winter preparedness with heads of various department.The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Chief Engineer R&B, Commissioner SMC, Director Disaster management and other officials representing various departments. The DDC’s of other districts participated via video conferencing.The Div Com directed the officials to keep ready all of their men and machinery to meet any kind of eventuality in the event of inclement weather. He called on the R&B, MED, SMC and Urban Local Bodies to ensure that the machines are deployed at the places of operation before the snowfall starts. He directed the officials to give preference hospitals and other places of emergency services for clearing of road blockades due to snow fall. He also directed the Directorate of Health Services to ensure availability of doctors, medicines and heating arrangements at all hospitals. Similar directions were passed on to PHE, PDD and other departments.
The Div Com was informed that two battalion of SDRF are on standby mode and it will be further augmented by personnel from police, Fire and Emergency Services and volunteers. It was further informed that at various vulnerable locations police and army have trained volunteers so that they can help during the time of need. It was also revealed that for the first time every DDC have been given Rs 52 lakh each as mitigation fund to meet any eventuality and further money of Rs 58 lakh has been parked with Divisional Commissioner office beforehand. The meeting was informed that essential commodities like LPG, petrol and diesel are stocked for almost 25 days and rice is sufficient for two months. The Div Com appreciated the work done by the officials during last winter’s heavy snowfall. He called on them to follow the practice this year with same zeal. Various departments gave a detailed presentation on the winter preparedness. He said that every department should follow the Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) duly discussed already so that the before and after snowfall work goes on smoothly with little discomfort to public.