Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 15: Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam chaired a high-level meeting here this morning to take a comprehensive review of the arrangements for bi-annual Durbar Move.
The meeting was informed that as per the orders already issued by the General Administration Department (GAD), the offices observing 5-day week shall close in Srinagar on October 26 after office hours and offices observing 6-day week shall close on October 27 after office hours. All the offices will reopen in Jammu on November 5.
The meeting was told that adequate arrangements are in place for ferrying of official records and transportation of employees on October 27th, 28th and 29thand November 3rd and 4th. Only one-way traffic from Jammu to Srinagar will be allowed during these five days.
Secretary, Information Technology, Saugat Biswas informed the meeting that the IT Department is working towards installation of dedicated computers in each department at the Civil Secretariat, both at Srinagar and Jammu, to avoid wear and tear during physical transportation of computers with bi-annual Durbar Move.
The Chief Secretary directed that each department should be provided with External Hard Drive by the IT Department for shifting of records in digital format. He said from the next year minimum movement of files will be ensured and most of the records shall be shifted in digital format.
Secretary IT further informed that from the next Durbar Move, the WiFi and networking equipment won’t be shifted during Durbar Move as Civil Secretariat Jammu and Srinagar shall be provided with dedicated WiFi facilities.
Chief Secretary directed the IT Department to ensure that LAN/Internet connections in Jammu Secretariat are fully functional by the time move offices reopen there.
To ensure smooth movement of Durbar Move convoy, the Chief Secretary instructed BEACON and NHAI authorities to ensure good condition of Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, especially on Banihal-Nashri and Chenani-Udhampur sections.
The meeting also took a holistic review of security, availability of trucks and buses, recovery vans, mobile workshops, health facilities and ambulances along the highway.
Chief Secretary instructed putting in place all necessary measures including security escort to ensure smooth movement of Darbar move vehicles up to their respective destinations. He instructed that extra buses and trucks be kept available during the move days besides the adequate number of cranes, mobile workshops, recovery vans, medical mobile teams, ambulances be deployed en-route along with necessary equipment and staff to meet any exigency.
Chief Secretary asked Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department to issue temporary ration cards and gas connections to move employees for their Jammu stay and to ensure timely supply of rations besides, directing the concerned departments to ensure complete sanitation, availability of electricity and potable drinking water in all residential colonies of the move employees. He said the employees moving to Jammu should be provided new Ration Cards on the production of their official Identity Card alongwith a self-declaration regarding number of family members.
Chief Secretary also asked concerned officers of the Estates Department and Jammu Municipal Corporation to inspect employee residential colonies and ensure that necessary facilities were in place including cleaning up water storage tanks and launching intensive sanitation drives in all colonies.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary directed the Power Development Department (PDD) to ensure that there is no power problem in Kashmir and winter zone of Jammu during the winters.
He said there are clear instructions from the Governor that the consumers shouldn’t be put to any inconvenience because of unscheduled power cuts during the winters. He said the Governor is very particular about ensuring electricity supply in view of the examinations of the students beginning this month.
Referring to the ongoing strike by a section of the PDD employees, Chief Secretary said while the grievances of the employees can be discussed at the appropriate forum for rational resolution, it should not at the same time result in putting people to unnecessary trouble because of disruption of electricity supply especially during examinations. “While the Government is open to discuss the issues of the striking employees, there should be no inconvenience to the people at any cost,” he maintained.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
