JAMMU, APR 29: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah underscored the critical importance of robust inter-departmental coordination to ensure uninterrupted essential services and an efficient response mechanism during the forthcoming summer season across Jammu division.
Chairing a high-level review meeting, the Chief Minister took stock of the preparedness of various departments in tackling seasonal challenges such as heatwaves, water shortages, and power outages.
Present at the meeting were Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary Education Shantmanu, ACS Jal Shakti Shaleen Kabra, ACS to CM Dheeraj Gupta, along with administrative secretaries, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Managing Director JPDCL, Commissioner JMC, Deputy Commissioners of all districts, and representatives from BRO and other key departments. The meeting was held in a hybrid mode, with attendees joining both in person and virtually.
Conducting a department-wise review, Omar Abdullah evaluated summer preparedness in key sectors including Jal Shakti (PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control), Health & Medical Education, Power Development Department (PDD), Public Works (R&B), Fire & Emergency Services, Forest Department, Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (JPDCL), and Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), among others.
“Coordination between all line departments is vital to ensure uninterrupted essential services to citizens during the summer months,” the Chief Minister stated, emphasizing the need to minimize public inconvenience amid rising temperatures.
He stressed the importance of a swift and efficient response mechanism in the face of potential heatwave conditions and infrastructural challenges. “Response time to any kind of exigency should be minimized,” he asserted.
Reviewing the district-level readiness directly with Deputy Commissioners, Abdullah urged timely and proactive responses to weather-induced disruptions. He called for operational readiness of personnel and machinery to maintain continuity in services, highlighting that preparedness must be “proactive rather than reactive.”
Commending the efforts of field officers, he urged them to sustain a constant state of alert and ensure that grievance redressal mechanisms remain accessible and functional.
Divisional Commissioner Jammu presented a comprehensive report detailing summer readiness plans. Key areas of focus included drinking water availability, power supply stability, and medical emergency response.
Regarding forest fire management, it was informed that high-risk districts such as Nowshera, Jammu, and Reasi have been prioritized with the establishment of 175 control rooms and awareness campaigns. Preparations for water supply include vulnerability mapping, infrastructure maintenance, and deployment of tankers, alongside public IEC campaigns on heatwave safety.
Power infrastructure, officials reported, is being bolstered through transformer upgrades, tree pruning, and activation of emergency teams. The Health Department has stocked essential medicines, activated Heat Stroke Rooms, and initiated daily monitoring of heat-related illnesses.
The meeting was also informed that schools in the summer zone will follow revised timings from May 1 under the new school bag policy. Irrigation canals have been desilted and flood control rooms activated in vulnerable districts. JMC has prepped monsoon rescue units, upgraded drainage systems, and deployed sprinklers and coolers for heatwave relief.
BRO and PMGSY have identified landslide and flood-prone locations and stationed necessary machinery for rapid deployment.
In his concluding directives, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah instructed departments to activate control rooms, maintain buffer stocks of critical supplies, and deploy quick response teams in sensitive areas. He also mandated the use of GPS trackers on water tankers to ensure transparency in operations, directing ACS Jal Shakti to oversee implementation.
Additionally, the Chief Minister called for timely maintenance of vital road networks, including the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway, Mughal Road, and other key routes to ensure smooth connectivity during the summer months.
