Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena held a meeting here today with the heads of various departments and deputy commissioners of all the districts regarding the status of preparedness for the winter season. The Chief Secretary asked the authorities to ensure advance pre-positioning of man, machinery and material in the areas prone to avalanches and heavy snowfall.
He also asked the DCs to issue immediate orders restricting the movement of trekkers or travelers towards high passes or other vulnerable areas considering the risks of heavy snowfall. During the meeting, the Indian Meteorological Department made a presentation on the forecast of the winter season, previous trends and current arrangements for dissemination of weather advisories.
With a forecast of a normal winter season, the Chief Secretary has directed the authorities to ensure that all the departments are ready for the challenges of the winter season. He also directed the concerned departments to effectively maintain roads and clear snow from road side drain and culverts, create a network of fire hydrants across state to ensure readiness in case of any untoward incident, maintain inventory of water pipes and electric poles.
The Chief Secretary also asked the concerned departments to be prepared to hire machineries, including JCBs, trucks and 4X4 vehicles, if the need arises. He asked the deputy commissioners to ensure adequate food and fuel supplies in the areas that remain cut off due to heavy snow and road blockages. He also asked the authorities to make certain that communication channels remain functional in such areas.
The issue of pre-positioning of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in Shimla and other districts was also discussed in the meeting. The NDRF has also proposed providing a base for its rescue teams at the higher ranges of over 9,000 feet. Such deployment will allow the rescuers to acclimatize to the conditions at the higher altitudes which will be beneficial in case emergency rescue operations arise.
Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department, Jal Shakti Vibhag, Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited, NDRF and State Disaster Response Force also made a presentation regarding preparedness measures at the meeting.