APRIL 30: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chaired a high-level review meeting to assess summer preparedness across Jammu division, urging a proactive, coordinated approach to ensure uninterrupted essential services and swift emergency responses during the heat-intensive months ahead.
The meeting was attended by key officials including Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretaries Shantmanu and Shaleen Kabra, ACS to CM Dheeraj Gupta, administrative secretaries, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, MD JPDCL, JMC Commissioner, Deputy Commissioners of all Jammu districts, and representatives from BRO and other concerned departments, both in person and virtually.
Chief Minister Abdullah reviewed preparedness levels department-wise, including Jal Shakti (PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control), Health & Medical Education, PDD, R&B, Fire & Emergency Services, Forest, JPDCL, JMC and others. He stressed that inter-departmental coordination is crucial to prevent disruptions in essential services, especially during heatwaves, water scarcity, or power outages.
“Departments must minimise response time during any exigency,” he asserted, calling for machinery and personnel to remain fully operational and on standby.
Engaging directly with Deputy Commissioners, Omar Abdullah emphasized the importance of district-level preparedness, urging prioritization of quick, effective response to climate-related challenges. He praised the proactive approach of ground-level officers but insisted that systems should be tested and functional in real-time situations.
Divisional Commissioner Jammu presented a comprehensive report outlining summer-specific initiatives. For forest fire management, 175 control rooms have been set up, particularly in high-risk areas such as Nowshera, Jammu, and Reasi. Water supply arrangements include infrastructure checks, vulnerability mapping, and deployment of tankers.
In the power sector, transformer upgrades and emergency crew activation are underway, while the Health Department has stocked medicines, activated Heat Stroke Rooms, and mandated daily heat-related health reports.
Schools in summer zones will follow revised timings from May 1. JMC has deployed heatwave relief measures like water sprinklers and upgraded drainage systems. BRO and PMGSY have ensured machinery is stationed at flood and landslide-prone sites.
The Chief Minister directed officials to activate control rooms, deploy GPS-enabled water tankers, maintain buffer stocks, and ensure road maintenance, particularly on vital routes like the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway and Mughal Road.
