Taking note of the active monsoon causing havoc in some parts of the State, Pauri district magistrate Chandra Shekhar Bhatt has given instructions to all the officers concerned of several departments to be vigilant.
The education department has been asked to have schools situated on the bank of rivers closed for the time being. DM said no risk should be taken for those schools reaching which the students had to cross rivers. Besides, those schools whose buildings are in bad shape should remain closed till further order, he said.
DM said he had given these instructions based on what the Chief Minister had said in the aftermath of the heavy rains that lashed different parts of the State for two days since Friday night.
Bhatt directed all the sub- divisional magistrates to ask the people residing on the bank of rivers to shift to safer places. He also asked them to identify the landslide prone areas. He said all those whose villages were swamped by water would be rescued with the district administration which would provide them with lodging and food free.
DM claimed that despite the heavy rain, the National High Way and the State high way in the district are open. However, 29 smaller roads are closed in the district, he said.
DM instructed PWD to work on war-footing to open the blocked roads through JCB machines and other equipment. Bhatt also instructed Jal Sansthan and power department to maintain the supply of water and electricity despite the rains. He also asked the electricity department to rectify the problems of fluctuating voltage due to intermittent rains.
He said that they are taking steps to provide sufficient food grains and kerosene to the people living in the remote areas like Nanidana, Dhumakot and Yamkeshwar so that they do not face scarcity of these articles if rains lash them again.