Excelsior Correspondent
DODA, Mar 12: To assess the damages to public and Government property, caused due to the recent heavy rains, flash floods and snow fall across the region, High Power Committee comprising Dr. Arun Kumar Financial Commissioner Revenue, B.R Sharma Principal Secretary Planning & Development, Shantmanu Divisional Commissioner Jammu and Chief Engineer PWD (R&B) Jammu, today visited Doda and reviewed the steps taken by the district administration for restoration of essential services and civil supplies.
While laying stress over the speedy and time bound restoration of supplies and essential services, Dr. Arun Kumar exhorted upon the officers to make best efforts to ensure immediate restoration of services. He said there is need for capacity building to deal with such situations arising out of disaster and adverse climatic and weather conditions. He also impressed upon officers to take preventive and precautionary measures to minimize the loss of life and property. The High Power Committee underlined the need to adopt a proactive approach in tackling such situations and take the restoration work on war footing.
While giving a detailed account of the damages caused to Government and public property due to recent inclement rain, flash floods and snow fall, DDC Doda Mubarak Singh apprised the Committee that, 67 PWD roads in Doda, Bhaderwah and Gandoh have suffered substantial damage and got blocked due to landslides besides 34 PMGSY roads have also been damaged due to flash floods and mud slides and restoration is being carried out by the concerned department.
DDC also apprised the Committee that the landslides have blocked the Batote – Doda NH at different stretches and the officers of BRO have been directed to clear the landslides to make the road traffic worthy at an earliest, Besides Doda- Bhaderwah link road has also got blocked at Drudhoo and Pranoo and GREF Authorities were pressed into action immediately and the roads restored and stranded vehicles cleared. Mr. Singh said that restoration work on various services and supplies was going on vigrously and will be restored within shortest time.
It was also informed that HT and LT Network of Power Development Department has suffered considerable damage due to thundering & lightning, as 26 Transformers of the Distribution Network have been damaged.
The Committee issued directions to District Development Commissioner to ensure that all concerned departments make their strenuous efforts to restore the power supply, safe water supply and road connectivity at the earliest. The Financial Commissioner also directed to furnish the report of damage within 2 days.
Earlier, the team flew to Kishtwar and held an emergency meeting with the District Administration which was attended by DDC Kishtwar Mohd. Javed Khan, SP Kishtwar Sanjay Kotwal, ADC Kishtwar Mohd. Hanief Malik, ACR Sudershan Kumar and besides other district officers of PWD, PHE, PDD, RDD, Education, CAPD, Health and Municipal Committee Kishtwar.
In the meeting, the DDC Kishtwar appraised the team about the ground situation in District HQ and remote areas of Marwah, Warwan, Dachhan, Paddar regions and steps taken by administration for restoration of essential services in these areas.
The team also assessed the damages of property and agriculture due to snowfall and directed the concerned officials to take immediate steps to provide the relief to the affected people.
The officers also toured the main market and adjoining link roads of the town and took stock of the condition of main roads. The committee also visited district Ramban to access the ground situation.
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