Jammu and Kashmir government today said it is taking measures on a war-footing basis to restore the essential services disrupted due to heavy snowfall, in various parts of the state.
The administration has been mobilised and men and machinery are on the job and almost 90 per cent of the essential services have been restored in the snow-bound areas, Minister for Education Naeem Akhtar told reporters outside the Legislature complex here.
Responding to the charge by the Opposition in this regard, Akhtar, who is also the state government spokesman, said it is not for the first time that Kashmir and other parts of the state are grappling with post-snowfall situation.
"There have been snowfalls earlier also and similar situations have arisen which have been and are being tackled by the administration effectively," he said.
Akhtar said efforts have been "redoubled" to ensure restoration of essential services, including restoration of road communication, electricity and water supplies and availability of essential commodities.
The Minister said control rooms have been set up in the districts to monitor the situation and the people can directly contact district administration concerned to seek redressal of their grievances.
He said strict instructions have been issued to the departments concerned, especially R&B, PHE and PDD to ensure restoration of public utilities in the affected areas.
Akhtar said the government has directed deputy commissioners concerned to carry out snow clearance operations on a war-footing basis and ensure restoration of electricity in the affected areas.
"The ground staff of PDD and R&B Department is working round-the-clock to restore power supply and clear the roads," he said, adding the deputy commissioners of all the snow-bound districts are supervising the restoration work on ground.
Regarding dewatering of roads and alleys in Srinagar, the Minister said the government has pressed 18 snow clearance machines and 16 dewatering pumps into service in the city.
He said Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti also visited the Valley earlier this month and took stock of the post-snowfall situation.
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