KL Report
Srinagar
The Divisional Administration in Kashmir on Wednesday put the disaster management grid on standby to meet any eventuality due to snowfall expected in the next 24 hours across the Valley.
Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Asgar Samoon directed all District Development Commissioners, heads of departments and district Superintendents of Police to activate their men and machinery to be in a state of preparedness, so as to ensure minimum disruption of essential services in the Valley due to snowfall.
The MET office has predicted moderate to heavy snowfall over hilly areas and light to moderate snowfall at many places in the Kashmir division for one week beginning from Wednesday, which is likely to intensify on December 13 and 14.
“As many as 101 Snow clearance machines of Mechanical Engineering Department which include 71 snow ploughs, 19 snow cats, 10 snow cutters and one dozer are available for snow clearance operations on major black topped roads of Valley,” Aamir Ali, an official of the Natural Disaster Management Cell, said.
The snow clearance machines have already been placed at various headquarters in North, South and Central Kashmir, Ali said adding 35 machines have been kept at Central Snow Control Room for Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal districts and 30 machines have been deployed for Islamabad, Shopian, Kulgam and Pulwama.
Similarly, 36 machines have been kept for Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora, which also include one snow cutter, one plough and one dozer deployed in Gurez Sub-Division, 4 cutters and 4 ploughs at Gulmarg, besides one snow cutter for Gulmarg Development Authority, he said.
36 machines have been kept for Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora, which also include one snow cutter, one plough and one dozer deployed in Gurez Sub-Division, 4 cutters and 4 ploughs at Gulmarg, besides one snow cutter for Gulmarg Development Authority, he said.
Chief Engineer, Mechanical Engineering has established a Central Snow Control Room at Srinagar, which is functioning round the clock, the official said.
Chief Engineer Road and Buildings has also been asked to keep his men and machinery in a state of readiness to clear snow from major district roads using machines as well as manually, Ali said, adding instructions have been given to all Executive Engineers of the department to ensure removal of any fallen trees that may block the roads.
The Divisional Commissioner has also directed Commissioner SMC Srinagar to ensure that all dewatering stations are kept in running condition and that manual snow clearance from lanes and drains in the city is done.
Civil Defence Volunteers have been asked to assist the administration in snow clearance wherever required, Ali said, adding Director CAPD Kashmir has been asked to ensure adequate essential supplies of LPG and Kerosene Oil.
