Shimla
Presiding over a meeting to review preparedness for the upcoming winter with the heads of various departments and Deputy Commissioners of all the districts today here Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena directed officers to identify vulnerable areas as per previous experiences and deploy adequate human resources, machinery and essential supplies in advance by prioritizing areas for snow clearance.
To appraise the upcoming weather conditions in the State, the Indian Meteorological Department made a presentation on the forecast of coming winter season. With a forecast of normal winter season, the Chief Secretary has directed the authorities to ensure that all the departments were ready for the challenges of the winter season.
He said deployment of machinery like bulldozers and snow cutters should be done in advance and necessary repairs should be carried out beforehand too. He said that road connectivity, hospitals, power, water supply and educational institutions should be the priority of district administrations.
The Chief Secretary asked deputy commissioners to ensure adequate food and fuel supplies in the areas that remain cut-off due to heavy snow and road blockages. He also asked the authorities to make certain that communication channels remain functional in such areas.
Prabodh Saxena directed to establish control rooms at all levels to ensure coordination and swift response throughout the winter season.
The issue of pre-positioning of National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force in Shimla and other districts prone to disasters was also discussed in the meeting.
Officers from various departments briefed the Chief Secretary on the preparations being made to ensure the availability of essential services, including the operation of hospitals, fire services and emergency response during any eventuality. Additionally, necessary winter stockpiles, such as food grains, fuel and generator supplies, have been adequately arranged.
During the meeting presentation was also made by different departments regarding preparedness measures for the upcoming winter season.
