Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 29: Minister of State for Cooperative, Finance, Stationary and Higher Education, Dr Manohar Lal Sharma today asked the officers to be prompt and extra vigilant in meeting any eventuality in the backdrop of torrential rains.
The Minister was chairing a high level meeting of senior officers at Summer Secretariat convened to review the preparedness of the concerned departments to meet the challenges in the wake of recent rains that lashed the Jammu region.
The Minister directed the officers to initiate effective measures to prevent soil erosion and damage to the residential areas in the flood prone areas.
The meeting was attended by Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Pradeep Gupta, District Development Commissioner, Jammu, Sanjeev Verma, DIG Jammu-Kathua Range, J.P. Singh, Chief Engineers, PDD PHE, Director Health Services, Director Agriculture, S.E. PWD besides senior officers of various departments.
The Minister sought information about the losses caused due to flash floods in some areas. He directed the concerned administration to be quick in providing relief to the people affected due to heavy rains and also assess the damages caused to households and public property. He instructed the Flood Control Department authorities to keep a close watch on the situation in flood prone areas so that preventive measures were taken to save damages. He also directed to take up the urgent works on priority. The Minister also sought information about the damage caused to Balole bridge.
Divisional Commissioner informed that the bridge was closed for traffic after one pier of the bridge was damaged due to flash floods. However, he said that the vehicular movement on the highway was going on smoothly as the traffic was diverted to the adjacent bridge.
Seeking further details, the Minister directed for early restoration of the bridge so that the commuters do not face any inconvenience.
The Minister instructed the Power Development Department to ensure timely repair of damaged transformers, particularly in rural pockets.
The Chief Engineer PDD apprised the Minister that the department was making it sure to replace the transformers in the shortest possible time, besides it has taken every measure to minimize the power curtailments and contain pilferage and overloading.
About the stock and supply position of ration in the region, the Minister was apprised that adequate stocks of food grains were available in far-off and inaccessible areas.
Director Agriculture informed the meeting that despite heavy downpour there was not much damage to the crops. He said that department has taken advanced preventive measures to avoid damages due to rains.
The Public Health Engineering (PHE) and Irrigation authorities were directed to immediately repair damaged motors to ensure regular drinking water and irrigation supply.
While reviewing the health services, the Minister asked the Director Health Services Jammu to provide sufficient number of doctors and paramedical staff, besides medicines at all health institutions of Jammu region.
The Minster asked the Divisional Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner Jammu to collect details of loss of human lives due to floods so that relief was provided to the affected families.
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