The State Government has released an amount of Rs. 35.17 crore for ensuring restoration of essential services in the State due to the heavy snowfall in the State. This was stated by the Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while presiding over the meeting with the senior officers of the State Government to review the situation arisen due to heavy snow fall in the State.Chief Minister directed the officers to ensure that all the essential services in the State affected due to heavy snowfall in the State be restored immediately. He said that about 1093 roads in the State were closed for traffic due to the snow out of which 204 would be restored by the evening. He directed the officers to ensure that all the remaining roads should be restored by tomorrow evening. He said that adequate men and machinery be deployed to ensure that the roads were responded at the earliest.Jai Ram Thakur said that the PWD department must ensure that all the roads leading to essential services such as hospitals be given priority so that the patients does not face any hardship. He said that as many as 25 roads had been adversely affected in the State due to heavy snowfall.Chief Minister said that over 415 water supply schemes have been affected due to the snow. He said that 120 water supply schemes in Mandi district, 60 in Kinnaur district, 89 in Chamba district, five in Kangra, 43 in Kullu and 25 in Rohru circle has been adversely affected. He said that most of these schemes would be restored by today evening and the remaining would be restored within a day.Jai Ram Thakur said that power supply was also badly affected in several parts of the State due to heavy snowfall.
He said that the same would be restored in all district headquarters and efforts would be made to restore power supply in OSD of the parts by evening. He directed the State Electricity Board Authorities to ensure that the power supply in other parts of the State was restored within a day.Chief Minister also directed the BSNL authorities to ensure that the BSNL services be restored at the earliest so that the people does not face any inconvenience in communication. He said that as many as 15 Satellite phones would be provided soon at all district headquarters and three tribal subdivisions of the State. This would ensure effective communication facilities at the time of natural calamities, he added.Chief Secretary B.K. Agarwal suggested to have 3 Snow cutters to be procured for important points in first Phase and plan be prepared by the PWD department in this regard after assessing ground situation.Additional Chief Secretary Revenue and PWD Manish Nanda assured the Chief Minister that best possible efforts would be made to ensure restoration of essentials services in the State. She said that all the departments have been asked to ensure effective coordination at various levels for fast restoration of essential services.Additional Chief Secretary cum Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Dr. Shrikant Baldi, Principal Secretary MPP and Power Prabodh Saxena, Additional Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Sanjay Kundu, Special Secretary to CM D.C. Rana, MD HPSEB Ltd. J.P. Kalta, Engineer in Chief IPH Vikrant Suman, ENC PWD R.P. Verma, ENC projects and NH R.K Verma were present on the occasion among others.