By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 18 Jul: In view of the Orange Alert issued for Uttarakhand by the State Weather Centre of the Government of India, Chief Secretary Dr SS Sandhu has instructed the officers to be in alert mode. It may be recalled that the Meteorological Department has issued warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next 48 hours in parts of the state.
Sandhu directed all the District Magistrates including Commissioners of Garhwal and Kumaon to be ready for the upcoming possible challenge by taking all necessary precautionary measures to deal with the situation. In view of the possibility of heavy rains, the Chief Secretary also directed them to be vigilant at every level and for all the departments to work in coordination.
The Chief Secretary has also asked the Commissioners and the DMs to deploy competent level nodal officers of all departments at state emergency operation centres and district emergency operations centres, who would be authorised to take decisions and give directions in disaster-like situations.
The Chief Secretary further instructed the officials to deploy JCBs and earthmoving machines to clear obstructions and landslides that could occur due to heavy rains and restore the traffic movement as soon as possible by identifying the areas prone to disaster during the entire monsoon period. He asked the officers of the Departments of Drinking Water and Electricity to store adequate quantity of equipment and materials in remote and rural areas from now on to keep electricity and drinking water running during the monsoon so that the power and water supply could be restored at the earliest.
Officers of the Irrigation Department have been asked to keep a close watch on the water level of rivers and barrages during the rainy season, while activating flood posts and ensuring arrangements for issuing warnings and announcements related to evictions wherever required, so that loss of life and property could be prevented. He also directed all revenue sub-inspectors, village development officers and village panchayat officers to remain in their respective workplaces. Along with this, instructions have also been given to be on high alert at all outposts and police stations including disaster related equipment and wireless.
The Secretary, Disaster, interacted with the ITBP, NDRF, SDRF as well as the heads of departments like Irrigation, Public Works, Drinking Water, Electricity, Food, Health, etc., and sought detailed information about the arrangements and expected everyone to work in coordination.
