CS reviews restoration of power supply, road clearance, essentials
NL Correspondent
Jammu Tawi, Nov 07
Early snowfall and heavy rain on Thursday threw normal life out of gear in the Union Territories (UTs) of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The temperature has dipped drastically due to the sudden change in early November.
The 300 km long Jammu–Srinagar highway was closed for vehicular traffic due to snow and landslides. Hundreds of vehicles and apple laden trucks were stranded on the highway and the valley. The Mughal Road, that is the alternate road route to Kashmir through Rajouri in Jammu, is also closed due to snow since Wednesday. The tourist destination of Gulmarg recorded the highest snowfall of 4 ft till Thursday afternoon.
The upper reaches of the erstwhile Jammu provincial hills too received heavy to moderate snowfall and plains of Jammu region were experiencing heavy rain and thunderstorms since Wednesday night. Electricity supply has been hit due to bad weather. Police said that snowfall has been reported across Kashmir. The many of the roads in the remote regions of Doda, Kistwar, Poonch and adjoining areas closed due to snowfall and landslides.
Srinagar has recorded 4.5 inches snowfall till the afternoon, Sonmarg 8 inches, Pahalgam 4 inches, Jawahar Tunnel 7 inches, and Gurez 1.5 feet, J&K police said.
The Srinagar administration has issued helpline numbers for the information of the general public requiring assistance in view of the prevalent weather situation in the district. The general public has been asked to contact these phone numbers in case of an eventuality.
Following heavy and continuous snowfall in Kashmir Valley and parts of Jammu Division, Chief Secretary, B V R Subrahmanyam Thursday held a video conference with the divisional and district administration of Kashmir and Jammu Division and impressed upon them to work 24×7 to ensure that power supply is restored and roads are cleared of snow by Friday evening.
The heavy and continuous snowfall has resulted in trees or tree branches felling on transmission lines because of which power infrastructure in both Kashmir valley and substantial area of Jammu division have been damaged. As a result, power supply in entire Kashmir Division and major parts of Jammu Division have been badly affected. Power supply has also been affected in various districts of Jammu Division.
CS directed divisional and district administration in Kashmir and Jammu to ensure that the action plan for restoration of power supply is implemented swiftly and damaged power lines restored by Friday evening i.e 8th of November, 2019. “Along with undertaking the restoration of the damaged transmission lines, simultaneously, also activate the Emergency Restoration System”, Chief Secretary stressed on Chief Engineers of PDD and added that restoration of power supply is critical for functioning of other services and resumption of routine activities.
Chief Secretary directed Commissioner/ Secretary, PDD to ensure that the buffer stock of transformers earmarked for distribution reach all the districts by next Monday. Commissioner/ Secretary, PDD was also asked to look into the requirement of transformers for the receiving stations in District Anantnag and District Bandipora. He was also asked to look into issues relating to power in Kishtwar and Poonch Districts of Jammu Division. The PDD was further directed to prune the trees coming in the alignment of transmission lines immediately after the weather improves.
360 transformers are already available as buffer stock in the divisional stores and these will be despatched to the districts, if needed, said Div Com Kashmir
156 snow clearing Machines of the Mechanical Engineering Wing and 400 of the PW(R&B) have been pressed into service for clearing priority 1 and priority 2 roads across Kashmir Valley. Teams from SDRF and Home Guards have been kept at standby to assist the Civil Administration in case of any emergency. Further, the Divisional Administration has tied up with Army and CRPF for rendering assistance, as may be required, for evacuation of the stranded person(s).
80 Pump Stations and 115 Mobile Pump Stations besides fire tenders of the Fire & Emergency Services Department are available for de-watering in Srinagar City.
Chief Secretary asked the Health Department to ensure that hospitals have adequate heating arrangements, availability of medicine/facilities; and alternate power source (gensets/fuel) and funds required on this count should be immediately projected to the Government to obviate any difficulty.
Preparedness with regard to snow/ landslide clearance, traffic management, rescue plan and facilities for stranded passengers/truckers along the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway and other important roads was also discussed in the meeting. Divisional Commissioner, Jammu apprised about the position of National Highway in the wake of incessant rainfall and the position of major roads across other districts. IGP Kashmir was directed to take necessary steps for regulation of traffic on the National Highway in consultation with the traffic police authorities.
School Education department has been asked to ensure that adequate heating and lighting facilities are available in the examination centres.
Availability and stocking of ration, Gas, Petroleum, K oil and other essential food items in Kashmir division including snow bound remote areas are being ensured.
DMRR&R to immediately liaise with Civil Aviation on the commencement of the air services to the snow bound areas. He also directed for setting up of a Help Desk at the Srinagar Airport for convenience of the stranded passengers.
Chief Secretary also directed the DCs to sanction ex-gratia as per SDRF norms to the NoKs of the persons who lost their lives in the snowfall. He also advised the DCs to undertake restoration works immediately, wherever, required as per SDRF norms.
