DC Kupwara reviews Winter Preparedness

Kupwara : Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kupwara, Shrikant Suse Friday convened a review meeting with officers of various line departments to assess and strengthen the district’s preparedness in light of weather advisory and snowfall prediction.
The meeting was attended by ADC Kupwara, Gulzar Ahmad Khan; ADC Handwara, Javid Naseem Masoodi, ACR, SDM Lolab, OC Beacon, all Tehsildars as well as officers from R&B, PMGSY, KPDCL, MED, Municipal Committees, Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs and health department.
Regarding Winter Stocking & Essential Supplies, the Food Supplies department informed that sufficient stock of rice, sugar, atta and Fuel/LPG has been ensured in the district especially in border areas to cater to the needs of the people during the harsh winter period.
Regarding Snow Clearance and Machinery Readiness, the Mechanical, R&B, BEACON, PMGSY briefed the Chair on the availability and deployment plans of snow clearance equipment and machinery at key locations to ensure road connectivity in the event of heavy snowfall. The departments were directed to ensure utmost coordination for snow clearance at the earliest.
The Electric Divisions informed about the buffer stock of transformers and other key spares, ensuring rapid restoration of electricity in extreme weather conditions.
The Health officials presented measures taken to ensure availability of medical emergency response, essential medicines, and ambulance services in high-altitude and hard to reach areas.
The DC directed that district and tehsil-level control rooms be kept operational 24×7 during winter to monitor weather developments and coordinate swift responses to public grievances and exigencies.
Addressing the gathering, the DC underscored the imperative of inter-departmental coordination, timely execution of action plans, and proactive steps to mitigate winter-related challenges. He urged all departments to maintain continuous readiness, particularly in sectors prone to snowfall and connectivity disruptions.
He further emphasized that every stakeholder must work with diligence to ensure that essential services including transport, power, food supply, healthcare, and snow clearance remain fully functional even under severe winter conditions. He also directed to ensure all staff of these departments to remain at their headquarters only.
ADC Handwara, SDM Lolab and concerned tehsildars were directed to monitor response from all line department in their respective jurisdiction.