Srinagar, October 3: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today convened a high-level meeting at the Civil Secretariat to assess departmental preparedness ahead of an active Western Disturbance forecast by the Meteorological Centre, expected to impact Jammu and Kashmir from October 4 with rain and snowfall.
The Chief Minister urged all relevant departments and district administrations to maintain full readiness to mitigate damage to fruit crops, ensure uninterrupted essential services, and keep major roads and highways operational during the adverse weather event.
Present at the meeting were Minister for Agriculture Javid Ahmed Dar, Minister for Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Transport Satish Sharma, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretaries Shaleen Kabra (Jal Shakti) and Dheeraj Gupta, various principal secretaries, divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, and key officials from power, irrigation, flood control, public works, disaster management, and highway authorities. Outstation officers joined virtually.
Omar Abdullah directed the Agriculture and Horticulture Departments to issue timely advisories to farmers and orchardists and to ensure smooth fruit transportation to markets during the peak harvest season. Roads and highways departments including NHIDCL, NHAI, SAMPARK and BEACON were instructed to keep snow clearance machinery ready for vulnerable areas to maintain connectivity.
Power and Jal Shakti Departments were ordered to deploy rapid response teams to restore electricity and water supply promptly if disrupted. The Disaster Management Department was tasked with activating control rooms and coordinating closely with district authorities for round-the-clock monitoring.
Police and traffic authorities were instructed to regulate vehicular movement, issue travel advisories as needed, and safeguard public safety. Health Department was directed to ensure ambulance availability at vulnerable locations and identify patients needing urgent evacuation to avoid delays during emergencies. The Information Department must disseminate timely weather updates through all channels to keep the public informed.
The Chief Minister reviewed stocks of ration, medicines, fuel, and LPG, noting ample reserves available through November, with additional supplies stocked in weather-prone Jammu division areas to prevent shortages.
To enhance snow and debris clearance efficiency, Omar Abdullah ordered specific roads be assigned to designated agencies to prevent duplication and confusion. He emphasized establishing unified control rooms for better coordination and continuous clearance operations to restore road connectivity swiftly.
Highlighting the importance of proactive measures, the Chief Minister said, “The government’s highest priority is full preparedness and prompt response to protect people, crops, and infrastructure from the expected weather disturbance. Departments must coordinate closely to meet these challenges.”
This comprehensive preparedness drive aims to mitigate the impact of the upcoming weather system and ensure safety and continuity across Jammu and Kashmir.
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