GANDERBAL, NOVEMBER 20: Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Baseer Ahmad Khan, has exhorted upon the concerned officers to work out an effective and comprehensive snow clearance plan for winters so that people may not suffer during heavy snowfall.
Advisor issued these instructions while chairing a review meeting held here today to discuss and assess winter preparedness and election preparations in the district.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, P.K Pole, IGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal, Shafqat Iqbal, SSP Ganderbal, Khalil Poswal, ADC, ACR, SE PDD, Executive Engineers of various engineering wings and other concerned attended the meeting.
The DC briefed the Advisor about the arrangements being put in place to combat any contingency during winters through a powerpoint presentation.
The DC informed the meeting that adequate stock of essential commodities is already dumped at the identified places in the district besides Snow Clearance plan has been already put in place and required machinery and manpower has also been kept in state of readiness.
Advisor also enquired about the availability of snow clearance machines and was informed that adequate machines are available with the Beacon including Snow Cutters, Snow Ploughs, Excavators and Wheel Loaders which carry snow clearance operation on SSG road besides Mechanical wings of different departments and Municipal Council carry snow clearance on other roads of the district.
He directed the concerned to ensure that adequate men and machinery is stationed at identified locations like roads leading to hospitals and at other emergency services instead of placing them in district headquarter, so that they can be deployed timely in view of any exigency.
While reviewing the availability of buffer stock of transformers, the DC informed him that adequate number of transformers are available in the district and requested for more transformers of different capacities so that damaged transformers are replaced within shortest possible time.
Advisor directed SE PDD to strictly adhere to the power schedule and publicize the schedule well in advance so that people do not face any inconvenience on this account besides separate district control room for power shall be established and any snug in power supply due to any technical fault shall be notified involving local committees.
Meanwhile, Advisor reviewed status of election preparations including AMF at polling stations, election training, snow clearance plan on roads leading to polling stations, heating arrangements, security plan printing of ballot papers etc. and necessary instructions were passed for smooth, free and fair conduct of elections.
The DC informed the Advisor that all the arrangements for the smooth conduct of District Development Councils (DDC) and Panchayat by-polls have been completed in the district.
He directed the SE PDD to formulate a special plan for power supply at all polling stations and workout the requirement of gen sets at Counting centers, Strong room and polling stations in the district and share the same so that arrangements are put in place in advance.
The Heath department was directed to ensure that adequate medical and para medical staff along with emergency medicines and ambulance is deployed at Distribution/counting centers and asked for conducting Rapid COVID test for employees deployed for election duty.
He also emphasized the need for strict adherence to COVID SOPs during election process.
