Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 10 Jul: In response to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s call for rapid disaster management, District Magistrate Savin Bansal today reached Batoli village in Misral Patti, which had recently been cut off due to severe weather conditions. On this occasion, he engaged directly with residents to assess their hardships and assured them of immediate administrative assistance. Multiple proposals and demands raised by locals were approved on the spot.
Traversing challenging terrain to reach even the most remote elderly and women, Bansal attempted to ensure that every concern was heard and addressed.
The district administration, under his guidance, worked overnight to carve out a passage through Sheru Khala, an area transformed into a ravine owing to heavy rainfall, completing a task that would typically take several months, thereby restoring access for the villagers.
Emphasising the administration’s commitment, Bansal stated that mitigating the impact of disasters and reducing public suffering is their foremost responsibility. To provide interim relief, the DM also handed over advance rental cheques amounting to Rs 3.84 lakhs, ensuring Rs 4,000 per month per family for secure accommodation. He further directed continuous deployment of manpower and machinery for road maintenance throughout the monsoon period and instructed Tehsildar Vikasnagar to establish local camps for resolving residents’ grievances.
Additionally, Bansal also ordered officials to identify a site for a temporary helipad in collaboration with villagers, targeting completion within fifteen days. SDM Vikasnagar was directed to ensure regular health check-ups of pregnant women and infants through ANM visits. He also advised residents to avoid sending children long distances to school and instead facilitated their education by providing on-the-spot cheques for rental accommodation closer to educational institutions.
Responding positively to community demands, steps have also been initiated to transfer the Koti-Batoli road to the Public Works Department, with instructions issued for a feasibility survey of an alternative route linking Batoli to Than village. The DM has written to the PWD Secretary requesting a suspension bridge and permanent solutions, while sanctioning Rs 3.98 lakhs for immediate road repairs. To address emergency medical needs, temporary facilities were instructed to be set up without delay. Additionally, 20 solar lights were approved from the DM’s quota and ordered for immediate installation, as per requests from the villagers.
