A joint team comprising Deputy Commissioner Kulgam, Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, security forces and officers of various line departments today visited avalanche prone areas of Kulgam and reviewed the preparedness of concerned departments to tackle any eventuality.
The team visited Barijalan, Dandward, Sailkhanan, Avil Gojarbasti and other areas of the district and took stock of the disaster preparedness of various departments besides reviewing status of various developmental activities.
At Dandwan-Gulzar Abad, the Deputy Commissioner was informed about the disaster mitigating measures taken by various government departments besides security forces, and disaster management teams. The Deputy Commissioner also took stock of the availability of essential commodities like sugar, Atta, K-oil, rice, LPG in the area.
He visited PHC building Dondwan, which was recently transferred to the health department and asked the concerned officers to make it fully functional so that people living in these far places do not face any difficulty in the winter for want of healthcare facilities.
At D.K Marg, the Deputy Commissioner stressed on the participation of people living alongside the avalanche prone areas to carry out relief and rescue operations in case of any emergency, the DC said that volunteers from each designated village have been identified, who have been imparted training by the district disaster management cell. He further said that at the time of any eventuality, the volunteers will reach these places in the shortest possible time to mitigate any loss to life and property.
The Deputy Commissioner directed the officers of Education Department to start the CM’s Super-50 class at DK Marg so that students of this area will not have to travel to far off places for tuition during winter months.
It was informed that four shelter centers have been identified where arrangements for stocking of ration and first-aid facilities shall be made available in case of any exigency.
The DC directed officers of Health, CAPD, PHE, Forest and other departments to stock adequate quantity of medicines, food grains, and firewood besides supply of portable drinking water so that it serves the people stuck in the shelter sheds in case heavy snowfall and avalanches occur in these areas.
The Deputy Commissioner stressed on coordination among the concerned departments to enhance preparedness, adding that all available equipments need to be pooled at the shelter centers for their ready use in the wake of any avalanche or weather disaster.
