KL Report
SRINAGAR
Kashmir Commissioner Shalinder Kumar on Saturday said the schools shall remain closed till March 20 as the weather conditions shall remain disturbed for the next four days. Authorities also introspected the systems and assured they will make a net difference if it snows hugely.
“We will making efforts to prove better this time in minimizing the problems that the people could face in wake of adverse weather conditions,” Kumar told a news conference after a detailed meeting with the officials and deputy commissioners. “We have already issued avalanche warnings on basis of the forecast available with us.”
Weatherman has predicted inclement weather till March. While central Kashmir is expected to be lashed by rains, north will get huge snow for two days and later south is expected to experience the same.
Kumar said 12 people have died and 17 were injured. The initial assessment suggested 159 housing units suffered severe damage as 2212 were partially damaged. Non residential units were also damaged and in fact 47 were decimated by the 30 hours snow early this week.
Commissioner said schools and colleges shall remain closed till march 20. The decision was taken in a high level meeting that Kumar presided.
Detailing the new look of response system to any crisis, Kumar said every district will get 18 men from SDRF which will be assigned to electric department.
Snow cutters will leave their headquarters at 4 am every day till weather man says the situation is improved.
Kumar said the city is facing lack of basic requirements like water pumping stations. “Right now, we have 57 static dewatering stations in the city in addition to 40 mobile units,” Kumar said. “From this year, the SMC will set aside one crore rupees to purchase new mobile units so that we are in a position to locate one pump in every locality that has severe water logging issue.”
