Dehradun: Chief Secretary Anand Vardhan held a meeting with all District Magistrates via video conferencing on Tuesday regarding preparedness for the cold wave in the state. The Chief Secretary instructed all District Magistrates to nominate nodal officers from various departments. He also instructed the District Magistrates to prepare a Cold Wave Action Plan and take action accordingly.
The Chief Secretary said that all districts should identify areas affected by snowfall and frost. Arrangements should also be made for bonfires in public places. He said that temporary night shelters should be arranged in all districts for protection against the cold wave and snowfall during the winter season, and separate nodal officers should be appointed for this purpose.
The Chief Secretary instructed that arrangements should be made for the distribution of blankets as needed. In the districts, a list of doctors working in emergency medical services, their mobile numbers, and an adequate stock of essential medicines should be maintained. He also directed that sufficient fodder and medicines should be stocked for animals, and a list of veterinary doctors for emergency services should be prepared.
The Chief Secretary instructed that in all districts, arrangements should be made for the adequate storage of food supplies, drinking water, and fuel until the end of March for protection against the cold wave and snowfall during the winter season. He also directed that food, drinking water, and fuel should be mandatorily stocked by the end of December in all remote areas of the state that are likely to be affected by heavy snowfall.
The Chief Secretary also instructed that necessary equipment should be arranged for clearing snow-covered roads, and signage with reflectors should be provided in snowfall/frost-affected areas. He said that a meeting should be convened with the trekking organizations and individuals, and they should be clearly instructed to ensure all necessary arrangements for the complete safety of the tourists they send on trekking expeditions.
On this occasion, Principal Secretary R. Meenakshi Sundaram, Commissioner Kumaon Deepak Rawat, Commissioner Garhwal Vinay Shankar Pandey, Secretary Dipendra Kumar Chaudhary, Dr. S.N. Pandey, Vinod Kumar Suman, and Additional Secretary Mrs. Ranjana Rajguru, along with other senior officers, were present.
