SRINAGAR: In the aftermath of the recent heavy snowfall, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday chaired a comprehensive meeting with Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of the Kashmir Division via video conferencing.
The meeting was held at the Raabita Public Outreach Office to assess the ongoing restoration efforts and review the status of essential services, including snow clearance, power and water supply, health facilities and other critical services, an official communique issued today said.
It said that during the meeting, MLAs across the party lines appreciated the efforts of the CM-led Administration in swift response to snowfall, acknowledging the commitment of the Government in times of weather adversaries.
Minister Javaid Ahmad Dar attended the meeting as a legislator.
Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, along with other senior officers, were present during the meeting.
The communique said that CM sought feedback from MLAs across party lines regarding the restoration measures in their respective constituencies and discussions were held on snow clearance operations, the restoration of power and water supply and the provision of other essential services and supplies.
The Chief Minister also held one-on-one discussions with Deputy Commissioners of the Kashmir Valley and snow-affected districts of Jammu Division.
CM urged officers to remain sensitive and responsive to public grievances, directing them to identify gaps in service delivery and take immediate corrective actions and emphasized the need to minimize hardships faced by the common people, said the communique, adding, CM also praised the dedication of the Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and employees who have been working tirelessly in adverse climatic conditions.
The Chief Minister called for enhanced preparedness in light of the snowfall forecast for the following week and instructed officials to improve action plans based on lessons learnt from recent weather events.
The Chief Minister emphasized the need to prioritize snow clearance on link roads, inner lanes, and bylanes to ensure accessibility for residents and directed the Jal Shakti Department (PHE) to address water supply issues promptly and enhance the deployment of water tankers in affected areas.
The communique further said that CM instructed the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and concerned departments to implement measures to prevent waterlogging in low-lying areas and called for enhanced coordination between the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Traffic Police, and District Administrations to ensure smooth traffic movement on the National Highway.
Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, Divisional Commissioner Jammu and other senior civil administration officials also participated in the meeting virtually.
