Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, Sept 5: Advisor to LG UT Ladakh Umang Narula chaired a meeting to review the preparedness for winter management in Ladakh here today.
Secretaries of various departments Finance, Animal and Sheep Husbandry, Health, Food and Civil Supplies, and Cooperatives, Divisional Commissioner Ladakh, Inspector General of Police, DCs of Leh and Kargil, and other departmental officers of the Union Territory took part in the meeting.
Divisional Commissioner Saugat Biswas appraised the steps those have already been taken by the Deputy Commissioners, various departments of the UT, FCI, IOCL and HPCL and the Cooperative Societies for ensuring winter stocking for the coming winters. It was brought out that the Food Corporation of India and Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs departments are well stocked with food grains till September 2021. During the second phase of the distribution of ration under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojna 65 percent beneficiaries have been covered and the remaining distribution of work is in progress.
The IOCL appraised the chair that this winter’s Special Winter Grade diesel will be available in their petrol pumps. The oil companies have ensured complete stocking to cater to demand during winter which will be regularly replenished till the time of road closure. The IOCL also informed that before the onset of winter every effort will be made to set up petrol pumps at remote locations of the Union Territory, the important ones being at Zanskar (Padum) and Nubra.
Advisor Narula impressed upon the IOCL to immediately enhance the capacity for storage of Air Traffic Fuel (ATF) in coordination with the Indian Air Force and the Deputy Commissioner Leh.
Utilising the Special Development Package the FCS&CA department is in the process of installing kerosene tanks at 20 strategic locations for more efficient stocking and distribution of kerosene in far-off areas like Zanskar and similar such places informed the FCS&CA officials.
The Deputy Commissioner Leh appraised that the cold storage being constructed at Leh will become functional by the end of September and will be able to store 1000 metric tons of essential food supplies, milk and meat products.
Divisional Commissioner Ladakh informed that the Merchant Associations of both the districts are preparing the commodity-wise inventory of supplies that they will procure as stocks for the winter before the closure of the roads to Ladakh.
The participants of the meeting were exhorted to ensure by Advisor that during the ensuing winter there should be no shortage of essential commodities for the convenience of the general public.
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