GANDERBAL, NOV 05:
In preparation for the upcoming winter season, the District Development Commissioner (DDC) Ganderbal, Shyambir Tuesday convened a comprehensive meeting with officers from key departments to review the district’s winter preparedness and ensure the continuity of essential services.
Representatives from departments including Jal Shakti, KPDCL, Health, PWD, and Mechanical Engineering presented detailed action plans aimed at preventing service interruptions during harsh weather conditions.
During the meeting, the DDC emphasized the need for all officers to be present at headquarters to ensure prompt responses to public grievances and effective coordination, particularly during snow clearance operations.
Engineering divisions such as R&B, Mechanical, and BEACON briefed the DDC on the availability and positioning of snow clearance machinery throughout the district.
The KPDCL team assured the DDC that sufficient buffer stocks of transformers, insulators, and conductors are in place to handle potential winter outages. The DDC directed the department to conduct a pre-winter audit of all electric poles and wires, replacing any damaged infrastructure before the onset of winter to minimize power disruptions.
Similarly, Jal Shakti Department assured an uninterrupted water supply throughout the winter months. The Executive Engineer noted that water tankers and portable generator will be available as needed to maintain water lifting facilities in case of power outages.
In addition, the DDC underscored the importance of strategic snow clearance operations, prioritizing roads leading to essential installations, including hospitals. He instructed that snow clearance machines be stationed at critical points across the district and mobilized immediately upon snow accumulation.
SDM Kangan briefed the DDC on the winter readiness of the Kangan Sub-division, highlighting the need for improved electricity supply to reduce power cuts in the region. She was instructed to ensure vehicle chains are available for Sonamarg-bound vehicles in critical areas such as Kullan and Gagangeer.
The health department was tasked with ensuring an adequate supply of emergency medications, fuel for heating, and staff for health centers in hilly areas, with special provisions for the PHC Sonamarg.
The Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Department reported that essential commodities are being stockpiled in designated high-altitude granaries, with four months of provisions for timely distribution to residents in remote areas.
The DDC called for heightened inter-departmental coordination, stressing the importance of prompt reaction times and effective implementation of snow clearance and service restoration plans. He reiterated that maintaining uninterrupted essential services, especially in Sonamarg, are crucial to ensuring the well-being and safety of residents throughout the winter.
The meeting was attended by Additional District Development Commissioner, Mushtaq Ahmad Simnani; Additional Deputy Commissioner, Gulzar Ahmad; SE KPDCL, CEO SDA, CEO MDA, and other senior officials from various departments.
