By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 29 Jun: While holding a review meeting on disaster management, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, today, that the response time ought to be the minimum once information on any disaster is received.
The meeting was held at the Secretariat today. The CM stressed that, in the event of a disaster, relief and rescue operations ought to begin immediately. Disaster management teams should be ready and on alert in view of the upcoming monsoon. He pointed out that the next three months are important from the point of view of disaster management. The district magistrates were asked to take most decisions at their level in order to effectively deal with the challenges of disaster. The problems not resolved at the district level should be referred to the government. He directed all the departments to work in coordination with each other in dealing with disasters.
Chief Minister Dhami reminded the officials that Uttarakhand is a disaster sensitive state. In view of the possible disasters, leave for officers in the next three months ought to be approved only in special circumstances. The Chief Minister directed the district magistrates to ensure the funds being given for disaster management in the districts are utilised according to the norms. Disaster affected people should be compensated at the earliest. In the event of road, electricity, water supply being disrupted due to rain or landslide, supply should be restored in the shortest possible time. Adequate arrangement of JCBs in the places prone to disaster and their tracking system should also be ensured, he ordered. All satellite phones should remain on. Also, adequate arrangements need to be made for food items, medicines and other essential commodities for the hill districts and disaster prone areas of the state.
Dhami added that deployment of SDRF teams should be increased at disaster sensitive places. He asked the District Magistrates to send drainage plans for districts where such problems existed. The district magistrates were asked to hold meetings of all departments on related subjects, so that all the problems arising at the district level could be discussed and considered in the meetings held at the government level. Proposals were sought on increasing the compensation to the kin of the deceased in a vehicle accident.
The Chief Minister asserted that, along with disaster management, the Chardham Yatra and Kanwar Yatra are also important. This year the number of devotees visiting Chardham Yatra had increased tremendously. Officers of the districts associated with the Chardham Yatra were instructed to ensure that it runs smoothly during the monsoon season as well. Regarding the preparations for the Kanwar Yatra, he directed the District Magistrates of Haridwar, Dehradun, Tehri and Pauri to work in continuous coordination with the police.
Chief Secretary Dr SS Sandhu, Additional Chief Secretaries Radha Raturi and Anand Vardhan, Principal Secretary RK Sudhanshu, DGP Ashok Kumar, Principal Forest Conservator Vinod Kumar Singhal were also present at the meeting.
