In view of the advisory of the meteorological department predicting heavy rainfall, red alert has been sounded in the Kumaon division.
Though incessant rain continues to hit normal life in many parts of the Kumaon region including in the Nainital district for a past few days, perhaps keeping in view past experience of the natural calamity coupled with predictability of heavy rainfall in next couple of days, officials concerned have been alerted by the respective district administrations to maximise vigil particulary in all the sensitive locations so that necessary precautionary measures could be taken on time.
Alerting all the officials concerned, Brijesh Kumar Sant, District Magistrate, Udham Singh Nagar, has said that as heavy rainfall has been predicted in the next 72 hours so all officials concerned including respective SDMs, tehsildars have been told to be vigilant during this period.
In case of any eventuality during the rainy season, inform the district control room on the phone number: 05944- 250719 and 05944-250823, he said. Besides, any disaster related information can also be provided on the toll free number : 05944-1077, the District Magistrate further said. Apart from setting up control rooms at tehsil levels, as many as 34 flood control rooms have also been set up in Udham Singh Nagar as it is highly sensitive from flood point of view during rainy season, being part of terai belt of the Himalayan State.
At the same time, officials concerned have also been asked to vacate the villages or houses which are vulnerable to any kind of disaster like flood in the region. Similarly, putting the officials concerned on high alert, the Almora district administration has also appealed to the citizens to remain vigilant during the rainy season ahead.
In case of any difficulty, people can contact the respective tehsil control rooms so that prompt steps could be taken to help them, said P K Arya, ADM and in charge of the disaster management, Almora. Besides, keeping in view heavy rainfall, we also appeal to the citizens to restrict their movements in sensitive areas like river, drains, landslide prone places to name a few, Kumar added. The Almora disaster control room number is 05962-237874, 05962-237875 and toll free number 1077.
The control rooms of other districts i.e. Nainital district control room number is 05942 231179 and 05942-231178, followed by Bageshwar district control room with telephone number: 05963-220197 and Chapawat district control room with telephone number: 05965-230703. As the officials concerned inform the district control number of Pithoragarh where the relief operation continues in many areas is 05964-228050.