Chief Secy Atal Dulloo reviews disaster preparedness in J&K

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo today held a detailed meeting of the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction (DMRR&R) to take assessment of its measures taken for disaster mitigation in J&K.

Dulloo took this occasion to impress upon the Department to further gear up for making the action plans regarding different disasters the UT is vulnerable to. He urged them to make the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) functional by the end of this fiscal as it has added role at the time of disasters.

He even emphasised upon the expeditions carried out to study Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) by visiting different mountainous lakes here. He called for training students and other volunteers for enhancing their ability to play their role during relief activities.

Chandraker Bharti, Principal Secretary, DMRR&R, informed the meeting about different activities and achievements including strengthening of UT, divisional and district level disaster management authorities by deploying necessary manpower there.

He also revealed that District Disaster Management Plans (DDMPs) for the year 2024-25 of all 20 districts had been updated. Other hazards specific plans like heat wave action plan, flood management action plan prepared, cold wave action plan had been prepared with development of landslide management plan under process.

It was added that an EOC has temporarily been established at Srinagar with its permanent campus coming up at Ompura, Budgam. Further, the Department has also launched Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) with a toll free number of 112 for receiving the disaster response calls over it.

Earlier a presentation was also made about the benefits and plans devised for welfare of different categories of migrants from Kashmir and Jammu divisions.

The location wise status of 6000 transit accommodations for Kashmiri Pandit (PM Package) employees were discussed threadbare along with that of the recruitment of rest of the designated posts. In addition it was revealed that these migrants are being covered under NFSA to extend different social security benefits like old age, widow pensions to them as well as covering the eligible under PM Kisan, Ayushman Bharat and other self-employment and skilling opportunities.

The meeting also took note of the progress made on outreach campaigns made to cover PoJK and other West Pakistani Refugees (WPRs) under the Rehabilitation Package meant for them.