Srinagar, Dec 28 (KNO): Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reached Ganderbal on Saturday morning to review the situation after the heavy snowfall across Jammu and Kashmir.
Instead of chairing a review meeting at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar, the Chief Minister convened a video conference meeting with all district heads across J&K from the video conference hall in Ganderbal.
While talking to the reporters, according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Omar said, “I wanted to assess the ground situation in my constituency following the snowfall.”
“I want to ensure that people don’t face any inconvenience due to snowfall and the essential services are restored as soon as possible. I convened a meeting of all the district heads in J&K from the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Ganderbal and took the feedback from all the districts.”
The Chief Minister said that efforts are on to restore electricity across Kashmir and normalcy will be restored soon. “As far as water supply is concerned, officials of the Jal Shakti Department are on job. We have also kept the water tankers ready to ensure that no one faces any sort of inconvenience,” he added.
The meeting chaired by the Chief Minister was attended in person by Advisor to the CM Nasir Aslam Wani, Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal Shyambir, ADC Ganderbal, and other senior district officials.
The Chief Secretary, Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu, and Deputy Commissioners from all districts participated via video conferencing.
During the meeting, Deputy Commissioners presented updates on snow clearance, restoration of power and water supply and emergency response to deal with inclement weather.
The Chief Minister directed Deputy Commissioners to personally supervise snow clearance operations, emphasizing the need to obtain photographic evidence of cleared areas to ensure thorough removal and prevent freezing road conditions as temperatures drop.
He called for a proactive approach, urging officials to deploy adequate manpower and machinery on the ground.
District administrations were instructed to provide two-hourly updates to the CM’s office and the Chief Secretary’s office to keep the government apprised of the situation.
The Chief Engineer of Public Health Engineering (PHE) informed the CM that 90% of the water supply across the valley has been restored, with efforts underway to address the remaining 10%.
The Chief Secretary confirmed steady progress in restoring electricity feeders and assured that district hospitals are functioning smoothly.
The Divisional Commissioner Jammu reported that power and water supply in Jammu districts remained unaffected.
The Chief Minister stressed the importance of ensuring 100% attendance of doctors and paramedical staff at all district and sub-district hospitals to effectively manage emergencies.
Special instructions were issued to the Deputy Commissioner Budgam to coordinate with airport authorities to assist stranded tourists and to provide transportation, if required.
The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir assured that sufficient stocks of essential commodities, including food and other civil supplies, are available in all districts.
Commending officials for their efforts, the Chief Minister urged them to remain vigilant, proactive, and responsive to the needs of the people during this challenging period.
He emphasized the importance of seamless coordination and uninterrupted services to mitigate the impact of the snowfall on the public.
Visits Ganderbal hospital, inspects facilities
After chairing the review meeting, the Chief Minister along with his Advisor and other officers visited District Hospital Ganderbal and assessed the facilities and services available to patients.
The Chief Minister inspected various units of the hospital and reviewed the availability of essential medicines, staff on duty and the functionality of the central heating system.
The Medical Superintendent, according to KNO, briefed the Chief Minister on the hospital’s preparedness to ensure patient care, confirming that the central heating system is fully operational.
However, he also highlighted challenges such as a shortage of medical staff and ambulances in the district.
In response, CM Omar Abdullah reiterated his government’s commitment to enhancing healthcare services across Jammu & Kashmir and addressing critical gaps to meet public needs.
He assured that steps would be taken to resolve the issues raised by the hospital administration.
The Chief Minister directed the hospital authorities to strictly enforce the duty roster for medical and paramedical staff to ensure uninterrupted services to avoid inconvenience to patients—(KNO)