ASTORE: Deputy Commissioner Astore Neelam Ali has directed heads of all relevant departments to complete their winter preparations well before the onset of the season and take timely and effective measures to provide relief to the public during snowfall and ensure uninterrupted provision of essential services.
In this regard, a meeting of heads of district departments was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Neelam Ali to review arrangements for the upcoming winter season.
Assistant Commissioner Astore Muhammad Shoaib, Assistant Commissioner Shounter Tauseeq Ahmed, Executive Engineer (XEN) Works Inamullah, XEN Water and Power Shah Anwari, Assistant Director Disaster Management Husamuddin, Assistant Director Food Department Murad Khan and other relevant officials attended the meeting.
Addressing the meeting, the Deputy Commissioner said that Astore experiences a long and harsh winter, while heavy snowfall and sub-zero temperatures create difficulties for residents, particularly in upper and remote areas, in accessing transportation, electricity, food, healthcare and other basic facilities.
She stressed the need for advance planning and timely completion of preparations by all departments to minimize public hardships during the winter season.
She directed the Water and Power Department to undertake necessary repairs and maintenance of all powerhouses across the district and address technical faults to prevent disruptions in electricity supply during winter.
Emphasizing the need to resolve low-voltage issues and other electricity-related problems, she instructed the officials to utilize all available resources to improve power supply and ensure the operational efficiency of the electricity system.
The Deputy Commissioner issued special instructions to the Food Department to ensure the timely delivery of the allocated wheat quota to upper and snowfall-prone areas.
She emphasized that wheat supplies should reach these areas before heavy snowfall blocks roads and disrupts transportation, preventing any shortage of essential food supplies for local residents. She also called for a timely assessment of wheat availability, transportation and storage arrangements.
Directing the Communications and Works Department, she stressed the need for comprehensive arrangements to keep roads open during winter, restore traffic after snowfall and ensure immediate access in emergencies.
She also emphasized the timely repair and availability of snow-clearing machinery and other essential equipment to facilitate prompt action in the event of road closures and minimize transportation difficulties for the public.
The Deputy Commissioner also directed the Health Department to ensure the availability of essential medicines and medical facilities at health centres in upper and remote areas. She said timely medical assistance during extreme cold and heavy snowfall was of utmost importance.
She instructed the department to assess medicine requirements before the onset of winter and take effective measures to ensure adequate supplies, enabling healthcare facilities to respond to emergencies without delay.
She urged all relevant departments to work in close coordination, adopt an integrated strategy, assess potential weather-related risks in advance and keep the necessary resources ready to respond to emergencies. She said providing relief to the public during winter was a shared responsibility of the district administration and all relevant departments, leaving no room for negligence or delays.
The Deputy Commissioner reiterated that the district administration, in coordination with all relevant departments, would take every possible measure to ensure the provision of essential services, restoration of roads and an effective response to emergencies during winter.
She expressed confidence that these arrangements would help maintain normal life as far as possible despite harsh weather conditions.