Revenue, Horticulture and Tribal Development Minister Jagat Singh Negi today chaired a high-level meeting to review monsoon preparedness with officials from the Public Works department, Jal Shakti, Electricity Board, SDRF, Revenue and other concerned departments. He assessed the current situation and district-level readiness, and issued necessary directions regarding the preparedness to deal with any adverse situation.
It was informed during the meeting that heavy rainfall has been reported in Kangra and Mandi districts and full preparations have been made with machinery already deployed. A total of 234 roads across the state, affected by rain and landslides are being restored and are expected to be reopened by this evening.
All national highways are currently open to traffic. The Revenue Minister said that the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Board reported disruptions to 968 transformers due to adverse weather conditions and restoration work is currently in progress.
Likewise, 23 drinking water schemes under the Jal Shakti department have been affected and efforts were being made to restore them promptly to minimize inconvenience to the public. A flash flood was also reported from Sarpara in Rampur, however, there has been no loss of life.
Shri Negi directed the Disaster Management Authority to respond quickly to any incident. He said that since large dams were located in Mandi, Kullu,and Kangra districts, the Deputy Commissioners of these areas must keep a close watch.
He also instructed that any violation of safety rules should be dealt with strictly under the Dam Safety Act and the Disaster Management Act. He urged tourists to follow weather advisories and avoid venturing near rivers and streams.
Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) across the state have also been directed to remain vigilant. The Minister said that budget provisions have already been made for the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and full preparedness with equipment deployment must be ensured.
Additional Chief Secretary Kamlesh Kumar Pant, Director and Special Secretary (Disaster Management) D.C. Rana, SP SDRF Arjit Sen Thakur, Additional Secretary (Revenue & Disaster Management) Nishant Thakur, Chief Engineer (PWD) Narender Pal Singh, Chief Engineer (Jal Shakti) Anju Sharma were present in the meeting.
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