Governor Directs Action To Meet Likely Floods

Srinagar: In a meeting held at the Raj Bhavan early in the morning, Governor N.N. Vohra reviewed the situation arising from the increasing water levels of Rivers Jhelum, Tawi and other major Nallahs in both regions of Jammu and Kashmir and the advance preparations which are required to be taken by the Administration.

Chief Secretary informed Governor about a Flood Control Room being set up at Hari Niwas in Gupkar; the obtaining and emerging weather conditions; water levels at various monitoring locations yesterday and today; mobilization of rescue teams and boats for evacuation; provision of pumps; electric power back up etc. He also informed that a mechanism has been put in place for ensuring effective coordination with concerned agencies including Police, Army, Central Armed Police Forces, NDRF and Civil Administration.

Sh. B.B. Vyas, and Sh. K. Vijay Kumar, Advisors to Governor; Sh.  B V R Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; Dr. S.P. Vaid, DGP; Sh. Umang Narula, Principal Secretary to Governor; Sh. Raj Kumar Goyal, Principal Secretary Home; Sh. Basheer Khan, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir; Sh. S.P. Pani, IGP Kashmir; Sh. M. Raju, Commissioner, PHE, Flood and Irrigation Department; Sh. Talat Parvez, Secretary Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction; and Sh. M.M.Shahnawaz, Chief Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control participated in the meeting.

The meeting also took stock of the provisioning of dry rations, medicines and positioning of basic facilities like tents, blankets and toilets etc.  at the designated Relief Centers, and in the buildings earmarked for the evacuated population.

Governor directed Chief Secretary to put in place a reliable communication system for the Senior officers who are at the helm for managing a flood situation; closely monitor water levels at Dal Lake and check the proper functioning of the lake’s water gates; devise an effective arrangement for the prompt mobilization of Rescue Teams; advance positioning of boats; ensure availability of doctors within 15 minutes, for emergency duties; timely alerts for areas which are under possible flood threat along with their identified evacuation sites. He directed Sh. Basheer Khan, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, to alert ground level staff who would perform emergency duties and set up Joint Control Rooms with all concerned agencies.

Secretary DMR&R was directed to mobilize all concerned persons who would be involved in Disaster Management and provide three daily reports on various parameters to enable close monitoring of the situation. Commissioner Flood and Irrigation Department was directed to inspect all the bunds in the flood alert areas and immediately repair those which are prone to breach.

Governor directed that similar action should be taken for the flood prone areas in the Jammu Division and all agencies to be kept at a high level of preparedness to deal with any exigency. He advised that the ground level staff of Flood and Irrigation Department should remain alert and promptly report the gauge readings at different places and immediate directions should be given by the Head Offices to all the field officers for  mobilisation of the required men and materials.

Governor directed the Administration to ensure timely weather alerts to all the Yatris and agencies involved in the conduct of the Shri Amarnathji Yatra and for other arrangements required to be made for their safety.