To minimise response time while carrying out relief and rescue operations in the aftermath of a disaster, agencies concerned will be provided with calamity-related information through SMS in Champawat, a top disaster management officer said here on Thursday.
Manoj Pandey, District Disaster Management officer, Champawat, said that by using state-of-the-art information technology, the Disaster Management department, Champawat, had also decided to keep the local public representatives, including gram pradhans, posted with the disaster related information through SMS. He further said required training had been imparted among 282 personnel to deal with natural disaster and added that to maintain proper dissemination of information, agencies concerned at district-level and local public representatives will be alerted through SMS about any natural disaster like situation.
Being a border district, paramilitary forces, including SSB and ITBP, are maintaining their presence on this Himalayan front and thus communication system comprising wireless sets and satellite phones had also been put in place apart from regular mobile phone services, he added.
Besides, in order to ensure prompt relief operations during any disaster, the department also decided to strengthen air connectivity, mobilising nine helipads, spread across the district, further said Pandey.
Champawat district police has also stressed on the need to strengthen its communication system by way of equipping all the police stations and police posts with wireless sets and satellite phones.
In case of poor condition of the Champawat - Pithoragarh national highway, the Simalkhet Road that connects with other districts would be used as an alternative route, officials of the Champawat district administration said.
However, under its contingency plan, the District administration Champwat has also decided to place JCB machines in landslide- prone areas along Champawat -Pithoragarh National Highway like Chalthi, Amori, Swala and Ghat- Panar to maintain road connectivity. It has also directed the district food supply department officials to maintain stock of subsidised food grains in the godowns for three months during the monsoon season.
More so, in order to deal with any eventuality due to rising water level of Kali (Sharda) river, Champwat district administration has decided to maintain proper communication links with Tanakpur barrage officials and asked the district irrigation department to set up a control room at lohaghat.