Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah held an emergency meeting on Wednesday to assess the situation in border districts following indiscriminate shelling on the Line of Control (LoC) by the Pakistan Army.
Officials said that the Chief Minister chaired the emergency meeting with Deputy Commissioners of all border districts through video conferencing to assess the situation in the wake of intense cross border shelling in these districts.
“The situation and preparedness to deal with exigencies were reviewed in view of the current developments and escalating tension, particularly along the LOC and districts close to the international border. The meeting was attended by Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu, Commissioner Secretary Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Secretary Health & Medical Education and Deputy Commissioners of Jammu, Poonch, Rajouri, Kathua, Samba, Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts,” officials said.
“During the meeting, the Chief Minister gave directions to immediately release Contingency Funds of Rs 5 crore to each border district and Rs 2 crore each to other districts so that Deputy Commissioners are equipped to deal with the exigencies arising and requiring the availability of adequate resources. CM directed that frontier districts be accorded special priority in the disbursement of these funds. Underscoring the paramount importance of safeguarding civilian lives, CM Omar Abdullah called for strengthening infrastructure with regard to providing shelters and bunkers for the public in border areas, keeping evacuation plans ready, and ensuring sufficient stock of food supplies,” the officials added.
“In respect of medical assistance, the Chief Minister directed the Health Department to maintain sufficient stock of essential medical supplies, ensuring availability of doctors, paramedics and keeping blood supply ready in case of any depletion in hospitals, especially in vulnerable areas. He also directed to move ambulances to the border districts witnessing cross-border shelling so that in case of any casualty, the injured are rushed to the hospitals,” officials said.
“The Chief Minister expressed grief at the loss of lives and injuries to several civilians living along the LOC and asked Deputy Commissioners to provide all assistance to the affected families. “He gave directions to the administration to immediately fill up vacant posts of Tehsildars and other officers in the districts so that the government machinery is fully functional and responds to the situation swiftly. The officers briefed the Chief Minister on the preparedness and readiness of their respective districts, assuring that they are ready with all emergency operations and that all supplies have been stocked,” the officials further said.
Deputy Commissioners informed the CM that they are continuously monitoring the situation and would keep the administration informed about any requirements to deal with the situation.
CM Omar Abdullah also instructed all officers to actively counter misinformation and rumour-mongering, urging the public to rely solely on verified official sources of information in these sensitive times.
(IANS)
