Dehradun, May 22
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, in a high-level meeting held at the Chief Minister’s residence, reviewed forest fire control, drinking water arrangements, health services, and monsoon preparedness. He directed officials to ensure timely and effective action. The Chief Minister said strict action should be taken against those causing damage to forest resources and that response time to forest fire incidents must be minimized. He instructed that concerned officers must reach the site within one hour of receiving information about a forest fire.
The Chief Minister emphasized implementing the Sheetalkhet model across the state for effective forest fire control. He directed the creation of small ponds near fire lines, preparation of a concrete action plan for fire prevention, and provision of adequate equipment to firefighting personnel. He also stressed the need for large-scale public awareness campaigns to prevent forest fires.
To ensure sufficient availability of forest guards, the Chief Minister ordered 1,000 new appointments. He also directed that village committees and forest panchayats be provided with necessary budget allocations for fire prevention. Considering incidents of human-wildlife conflict, he instructed that adequate veterinarians be posted in every forest division. He further emphasized the use of mobile alert systems to immediately disseminate forest fire information in affected areas.
With summer in mind, the Chief Minister directed officials to ensure adequate drinking water availability across the state. He said water tankers must remain fully available and damaged pipelines should be promptly repaired. He instructed that people should not face any difficulty in accessing drinking water, and adequate arrangements must be made in both plains and pilgrimage/tourist sites. He also stressed uninterrupted electricity supply and called for stronger efforts to increase energy production.
The Chief Minister directed that all necessary arrangements for the monsoon season be ensured in time. He instructed district secretaries to conduct field inspections in their respective districts and maintain special vigilance in sensitive areas.
During the health department review, the Chief Minister ordered mandatory fire safety audits in all hospitals. He emphasized maintaining proper cleanliness in hospitals. He directed promotion of institutional deliveries, ensuring complete data of all pregnant women, and making proper arrangements to transport them to hospitals during the monsoon season.
The Chief Minister said that pilgrims found unfit in health screening tests should be advised not to undertake the Char Dham Yatra. He emphasized that ensuring the safe and smooth journey of pilgrims is the state government’s highest priority.
