To review the arrangements for the safety of the local people and pilgrims/tourists in the State during the monsoon season, Governor Krishan Kant Paul convened a meeting with the officials concerned at Raj Bhawan on Friday. The meeting was attended among others by the secretary (disaster management) Amit Negi and IG Sanjay Gunjyal. Negi briefed the Governor regarding the safety measures and arrangements for the monsoon made by the disaster management department.
The Governor directed them to ensure measures which would handle landslides, blocking routes and also to constitute a team to keep an eye on the accident –prone areas and routes. A centralized information system must be developed to inform local people about the rising water level in the rivers due to incessant rainfall, Dr Paul stressed.
There should be an alternative communication system when the usual communication media does not function due to bad weather, he said. He further stressed on the doctors being available at the sensitive places to take care of the medical needs of the pilgrims and the locals. He also suggested that satellite data should be collected from the hill areas every day so that warning can be given about impending danger of floods due to heavy rain and melting of snow.
The Governor further said that the travel agencies fleecing the pilgrims who get stuck in the roads blocked by landslides is proving to be a serious problem. The administration, he said, must take strict action against those who are thus overcharging the pilgrims.
Amit Negi assured that action would be immediately taken on all the points raised by the Governor at the review meeting.