CM reviews essential services in Kashmir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, January 23

Expressing concern over the delay in snow clearance operations in the Kashmir valley, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has directed the administration to speed up the process to avoid inconvenience to the public.

At a meeting of officers of the Kashmir division here today, Mehbooba reviewed the availability of essential services to people and also the preparedness of the administration in view of the snow and rain forecast by the Meteorological Department in next few days. During her last visit to the Valley, Mehbooba had directed the administration to keep snow clearance machines available at critical points in Srinagar so that these could be deployed quickly in case of any snowfall.

Expressing concern over the power situation in the Valley, the Chief Minister directed the Power Development Department to pool all their human and material resources to provide relief to consumers. Mehbooba said she had already released Rs 10 crore for repair of damaged transformers and other equipment so that the people do not face any inconvenience.

The meeting was informed that the Roads and Bridges and Mechanical Engineering Departments had readied their men and machinery to meet any eventuality on account of any snowfall. “Fourteen locations have been earmarked in Srinagar city where snow clearing machines would be deployed in case of any snowfall”, the Chief Minister was informed.

It was also told that the Srinagar Municipal Corporation, which caters to around 4,700 lanes and bylanes of the city, would be deploying 2,500 sanitation workers for clearing snow and fixing drainage issues.

The Chief Minister was informed that ration stocks for two months had been stored in the Valley, including the forward and hill areas. Also at present 1.24 lakh cooking gas cylinders were available and 124 trucks/tankers carrying LPG to the Kashmir valley were in transit, the CM was told.