Ensure uninterrupted trade, availability of essentials amid winter: CM to officials

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reviewed the preparedness of various departments to address challenges posed by harsh winter conditions, particularly in the snow-bound zones of the Kashmir valley and Jammu division during a meeting on Tuesday.

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The CM emphasised the need for a robust mechanism to minimise inconvenience to public during severe weather conditions and directed various departments to ensure uninterrupted trade, transport and availability of essential supplies on priority, while addressing disruptions caused by snow, waterlogging and power outages.

He urged deputy commissioners to prioritise timely and effective responses to weather-related challenges.

He stressed the importance of keeping men and machinery in a state of readiness to ensure the routine functioning of essential installations.

The CM was briefed that adequate hi-tech snow clearance machines was deployed by the R&B Department, SMC, MED, BRO, and the NHAI. Besides, additional machines are on the standby to manage heavy snowfall.

The Chief Minister instructed the authorities to focus on clearing key routes, including inter-district highways and roads leading to hospitals, power grids, water supply systems, and fire and emergency services.

Officials concerned further said that adequate stocks of ration, petrol, diesel and LPG were available to meet the needs of residents for several months and additional provisions had been made to ensure timely distribution across districts.

The Chief Minister directed officials to set up joint control rooms in all districts to promptly handle winter-related complaints.

He stressed the importance of a swift response system to minimise public inconvenience and ensure seamless delivery of essential services.

Reviewing the health sector’s readiness, the Chief Minister directed the Health Department to ensure adequate stocks of medicines, oxygen cylinders and emergency supplies across all hospitals.

He emphasised the need to maintain functional central heating systems in healthcare facilities and ensuring the deployment of medical personnel in snow-bound areas. Officials concerned were also instructed to provide transport service to expecting mothers in remote and far-flung areas.

Highlighting the critical importance of uninterrupted power supply during winters, the CM instructed KPDCL engineers to prioritise the restoration of electricity, particularly for essential installations. He called for timely replacement of damaged transformers and urged the officials to ensure protection of field staff with proper safety gear to prevent accidents during repair work.

The CM underscored the importance of maintaining road connectivity and efficient traffic management. He directed the PHE Department to deploy sufficient water tankers in affected areas to prevent water scarcity during the extreme weather conditions. He also instructed the Forest Department to ensure adequate supply of firewood in snowbound areas.

Deputy CM Surinder Choudhary, Minister for Health and Medical Education Sakina Itoo, Minister for Jal Shakti and Tribal Affairs Javed Ahmad Rana, Minister for Agriculture and RDD Javaid Ahmad Dar, Minister for FCS&CA and Transport Satish Sharma and Adviser to CM Nasir Aslam Wani attended the meeting offline/virtually.