Deputy Commissioner and CEO, LAHDC Kargil, Rakesh Kumar (IAS), on August 7 chaired a district-level review meeting on disaster preparedness to assess the response to recent cloudburst incidents across the district and to strengthen preparedness for future natural calamities.

During the meeting, the Deputy Commissioner reviewed the damage caused by recent cloudbursts at various locations in the district and discussed both temporary and long-term measures to mitigate the impact of such disasters. He directed all concerned departments to submit detailed damage assessment reports along with geo-tagged before-and-after photographs to facilitate timely processing and release of relief and compensation as per the prescribed norms.

The DC informed the meeting that the District Administration has already disbursed an ex gratia relief of ₹4 lakh to the next of kin of a deceased person who lost his life in a recent natural calamity, in accordance with the applicable disaster relief guidelines.

Emphasising the need for prompt documentation, he instructed all Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) to submit consolidated reports on losses suffered in the Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry and Sheep Husbandry sectors from their respective jurisdictions. He also directed the Chief Education Officer to furnish reports on damages sustained by school infrastructure for further necessary action.

The Deputy Commissioner reviewed the response of each department during the recent cloudburst incidents and stressed the importance of coordinated action during emergencies.

The DC appreciated the early response and coordinated efforts of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the Indian Army during the recent emergencies, particularly in Silmoo and Hardass. He directed BRO to explore and provide a Bailey Bridge at Silmoo to improve connectivity and ensure early movement during emergencies.

Seeking to enhance the district’s disaster preparedness, the Deputy Commissioner invited suggestions from all departments for strengthening response mechanisms and improving resilience against future disasters. During the meeting, the Executive Engineer, PHE, requested the provision of a trolley-mounted mobile pump for emergency water management, to which the DC assured that the administration would explore the proposal.

The Deputy Commissioner directed all SDMs to submit complete and verified damage reports from their respective areas at the earliest to enable expeditious release of compensation to the affected beneficiaries in accordance with SDRF/NDRF guidelines.

The meeting was attended by the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kargil; Assistant Commissioner Development, Kargil; Executive Engineer, PHE; Tehsildar Kargil; Administrative Officer to the Deputy Commissioner; Army Administrative Commandant; Sub-Divisional Magistrates; Block Development Officers; and officers and representatives from various line departments.