Srinagar, Jun 30: Governor NN Vohra undertook an extended tour of Srinagar city and its outskirts, visited Boulevard Road, Hydraulic Gauge Centre of river Jhelum at Ram Munshi Bagh; Lasjan, and Relief Camps in Rawalpora and Ram Bagh areas for a first-hand view of the ground situation consequent to Jhelum rising above high flood levels, an official spokesperson said.
He said accompanied by Advisors B.B. Vyas and K. Vijay Kumar, and Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Basheer Khan; M. Raju, Commissioner, PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control department; and Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Governor inspected the administration’s preparedness to evacuate people if Srinagar gets flooded.
Governor inspected the designated Relief Camps at the Tourism department’s Community Centre Goripora, Government Boys Higher Secondary School Rawalpora and the ERA Complex in the Shopping Complex building at Ram Bagh. Divisional Commissioner Khan explained the basic facilities being provided at these sites.
Governor instructed M. Raju, Commissioner, PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control department, to immediately ensure adequate availability of sand bags and other required materials for ensuring immediate repair of any breach in the Jhelum Bundh.
Meanwhile, Governor N N Vohra today reviewed the situation arising out of the increasing water levels in the rivers and streams of the state and directed the administration to keep all the agencies concerned at a high level of preparedness to deal with any exigency.
In a meeting at the Raj Bhavan this morning, he reviewed the situation arising out of the increasing water levels of the Jhelum and Tawi rivers, and other major streams, and the advance preparations required to be taken by the administration, a Raj Bhavan spokesperson said.
He said the Chief Secretary informed the Governor about a Flood Control Room that was being set up at Hari Niwas in Gupkar, emerging weather conditions, water levels at various monitoring locations, mobilization of rescue teams and boats for evacuation, provision of pumps and power backup.
The Chief Secretary also informed Vohra that a mechanism has been put in place for ensuring effective coordination with agencies concerned, including the Police, Army, Central Armed Police Forces, NDRF and civil administration, the spokesperson said.
At the meeting provisioning of dry rations, medicines and positioning of basic facilities like tents, blankets and toilets at the designated relief centres and in the buildings earmarked for the evacuated population, were taken stock of.
The Governor directed the Chief Secretary to put in place a communication system for the senior officers who are at the helm of managing the situation, so that they can closely monitor water levels at the Dal Lake and check the proper functioning of the lake’s water gates.
He directed the Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir to alert staff who would perform emergency duties and to set up joint control rooms with all agencies concerned.
The Secretary in the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, was directed to mobilize all persons concerned who would be involved in disaster management and provide three reports daily on various parameters to enable close monitoring of the situation, the spokesperson said.
He said the Commissioner of Irrigation and Flood Control department was told to inspect all bunds in areas under flood alert and immediately repair those which are prone to breach.
Vohra also directed the administration to ensure timely weather alerts to all the pilgrims and agencies involved in the Amarnath Yatra, the spokesperson said.
