J-K CM reviews availability of essential services

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today chaired a high-level meeting of officers of Kashmir division to review the availability of essential services to the people and the administration's preparedness in view of inclement weather forecast.
Chairing the meeting she directed all departments concerned to gear up in view of the weather forecast and deploy their men and machinery beforehand, an official spokesperson said here.
He said the Chief Minister directed that there should not be any delay in clearing snow, and machines for this task should be put in operation as soon as the snow starts to accumulate so that people do not face any inconvenience.

The Chief Minister directed the power development department to ensure replacement of damaged transformers and ensure that there are less power cuts
Expressing concern over the power supply situation in the Valley during winter months, Mehbooba directed the power development department to pool in all their human and material resources to provide relief to consumers.
The Chief Minister said Rs 10 crore has already been released for repair of damaged transformers and other equipment so that people do not face any inconvenience.

At the meeting, she was informed that Roads and Buildings and Mechanical Engineering Departments have readied their men and machinery to meet any situation on account of snowfall and 14 locations have been earmarked in Srinagar where snow clearing machines would be deployed.

It was also informed that the Department of Urban Local Bodies has deployed 28 JCB machines and 2,800 sweepers for clearing snow in case of precipitation. Ration for two months have been stocked in the Valley, including the forward and hilly areas, the spokesperson said.
At present 1.24 lakh cooking gas cylinders are available and 124 trucks/tankers carrying LPG to Kashmir Valley are in transit, he said.
The Chief Minister was also informed that acting on her advice, separate Disaster Management wards have been earmarked at SKIMS and SMHS hospitals. Sufficient medicines have been made available at all the district, secondary and tertiary care hospitals.

Mehbooba expressed displeasure over the tardy pace of de-silting of river Jhelum and directed to speed up the work. She also directed swift resumption of work on Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover which has missed the deadline due to the five-month-long unrest in the Valley last year.
She also directed starting of work on the green patches in Srinagar as envisioned in the Master Plan for the city, the spokesperson said.