SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday chaired a high-level meeting to assess the summer preparedness of departments in the Jammu division, with a focus on ensuring uninterrupted essential services and reducing response time to seasonal challenges such as heatwaves, water shortages, and power disruptions.
The Chief Minister emphasised inter-departmental coordination and directed officials to adopt a proactive approach to service delivery and emergency response.
Omar Abdullah conducted a department-wise review involving Jal Shakti, Health and Medical Education, PDD, PWD (R&B), Fire and Emergency Services, Forest Department, JPDCL, JMC, and others. He instructed departments to remain alert and minimise public inconvenience through active monitoring and quick responses to emergencies.
“Response time to any kind of exigency should be minimised,” he said, adding that preparedness must be proactive and systems should function seamlessly when activated.
Deputy Commissioners were directed to ensure district-level readiness and maintain the functionality of essential services. He also called for ensuring public grievance redressal systems are accessible and effective.
The Divisional Commissioner Jammu presented details on departmental preparations. These included drinking water and power supply readiness, health sector measures, and forest fire management in high-risk districts such as Nowshera, Jammu, and Reasi. Authorities have set up 175 control rooms and are conducting awareness campaigns.
Power infrastructure is being upgraded through transformer replacements, tree branch pruning, and activation of emergency teams. The Health Department has operationalised Heat Stroke Rooms and arranged daily reporting of heat-related cases.
Water supply arrangements involve vulnerability mapping, infrastructure repair, and the deployment of tankers. The Chief Minister directed the installation of GPS trackers on tankers for accountability.
Schools in the summer zone will follow revised timings from May 1, and the school bag policy is being implemented. Irrigation canals have been desilted, and flood control rooms are operational in vulnerable areas.
JMC has upgraded its monsoon rescue and drainage systems and deployed water sprinklers and coolers. BRO and PMGSY officials have mapped landslide and flood-prone areas and positioned machinery for immediate deployment.
The Chief Minister also directed timely maintenance of critical roads including the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway, the Mughal Road, and other vital routes.
The meeting was attended by Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretaries Shantmanu (Education), Shaleen Kabra (Jal Shakti), Dheeraj Gupta (ACS to CM), Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Managing Director JPDCL, Commissioner JMC, Deputy Commissioners from all districts, representatives of the BRO, and other senior officials.
