Chief Secy reviews power supply, road clearance exercise amidst snowfall in JK

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam on Thursday held a meeting with divisional and district administrations of Kashmir and Jammu divisions and asked them to ensure that power supply is restored and roads are cleared of snow by Friday evening.

In the video conference meeting, he told the officials that Lieutenant Governor in his first informal interaction with the administrative secretaries in Srinagar emphasised on completing winter preparedness so that all basic necessities like power, water, food and petroleum products are made available to people without any interruption in case of harsh winter.

The heavy and continuous snowfall has resulted transmission line interruptions in both south and north Kashmir. As a result, power supply in entire Kashmir division has been badly affected. Power supply has also been affected in various districts of Jammu division, an official spokesman said.

The Chief Secretary directed divisional and district administration to restore the power supply by Friday evening, the spokesman said.

He directed Commissioner and Secretary, Power, to ensure that the buffer stock of transformers earmarked for distribution reach all the districts by next Monday.

The Commissioner-Secretary, Power, was also asked to look into the requirement of transformers for the receiving stations in Anantnag and Bandipora districts. He was also asked to look into issues relating to power in Kishtwar and Poonch Districts of Jammu Division.

The Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, informed that 360 transformers are already available as buffer stock in the divisional stores and these will be despatched to the districts, if needed.

The Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, said that 156 snow clearing machines of the Mechanical Engineering Wing and 400 of the PWD 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, the spokesman said.

The Chief Secretary directed the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, to ensure supply of potable water to people including through water tanks, wherever, needed.

The Chief Secretary was briefed by the DCs regarding damage to orchards, standing crops, apple produce, transformers, transmission lines, road clearance and about the stock and supply position.

The Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, apprised him 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.

The Chief Secretary asked the School Education department to ensure that adequate heating and lighting facilities are available at examination centres.

He expressed satisfaction that all districts have adequate stocks for 4 months available in their stores.

He directed Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department to ensure that there is no shortage of ration, cooking gas and petroleum products.