Kathua : Deputy Commissioner Kathua Rajesh Sharma Thursday chaired a meeting to review disaster preparedness, SDRF readiness and emergency response arrangements to ensure prompt and coordinated action during emergencies.
The Deputy Commissioner directed all departments to keep manpower, machinery and emergency resources in readiness and called for coordination among SDRF, Police, Civil Defence, Fire & Emergency Services and line departments to ensure swift response and timely restoration of essential services.
He directed all departments to establish 24×7 control rooms, nominate nodal officers and maintain updated inventories of manpower, equipment and emergency resources and called for designating a single point of contact in each department for coordination during emergencies.
The Deputy Commissioner instructed the Revenue Department and other agencies concerned to identify vulnerable locations based on the past five years’ disaster experience, prepare location-specific evacuation plans, identify safe shelter locations and arrange essential supplies in advance for vulnerable areas.
To strengthen preparedness, the Deputy Commissioner asked SDRF and line departments to conduct regular mock drills with proper evaluation and stressed wider public sensitisation through awareness campaigns in disaster-prone areas.
The Deputy Commissioner directed the departments concerned to ensure uninterrupted road connectivity, telecom services and communication networks during emergencies. The Power Development Department and Jal Shakti Department were directed to keep restoration teams ready for immediate restoration of services, the Health Department to maintain adequate stocks of medicines and keep emergency medical teams ready and the Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department and Animal Husbandry Department to ensure adequate stocks of essential commodities, including food grains and LPG and preparedness for protection of livestock during emergencies.
The meeting was attended by ADC Mahima Madan; Additional SP Sunil Kesar; officers from SDRF; Executive Engineers of PWD, Irrigation, Jal Shakti and PDD; EOs; DIO and other officers concerned.
