To take stock of the rain-related incidents, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat met the district magistrates through video conferencing on Saturday. He instructed them to go all out to help the affected persons on a priority basis. He asked them to release compensation amounts among the affected persons within 24 hours.
In view of the weather department-issued alert, he asked them to be more vigilant, especially in the disaster-prone areas and to take all measures to reopen roads blocked by the landslides. The CM laid thrust on drinking water, medicines and food grains reaching the affected people while asking the DMs to ensure that the administrative machineries are active round the clock.
He referred particularly to severe damages the recent spell of cloudburst has caused in Kotdwar. He asked the Pauri DM not to sanction any leave of the State Government employees for the time being in view of the disaster. DM Chamoli was instructed to have the blocked road at lambagad reopened at the earliest. He asked the DMs to arrange food and shelter for the five shrine pilgrims who have got stuck midway due to the blocked roads.
Referring to a report of a woman being swept away in a swollen river at Gairsain, the CM asked the Chamoli DM to release Rs 4 lakh as compensation to her family members in the next 24 hours. This aside, Uttarkashi DM was instructed to keep close tab on the rising water level of Bhagirathi river. Pithorgarh DM informed the CM that NH-125 earlier blocked due to landslide has reopened.
He further said that 47 pregnant women have been admitted at hospitals as a precautionary measure in the district. He said that there is a shortage of lPG cylinders in his district.