Announces Seismological Earthquake Observatory
Avtar Bhat
KISHTWAR, Apr 7: Union Minister in PMO with independent charge of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Ministries, Dr. Jitendra Singh today said that Government of India is taking serious steps to prevent Chasoti like tragedy in Kishtwar and in this regard the Government is focusing on strengthening disaster preparedness in the district.
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Dr Jitendra Singh announced this during DISHA meeting here today in which the Union Minister reviewed key developmental proposals concerning District Kishtwar. He said besides strengthening the Disaster preparedness, initiatives will be taken for infrastructure development and boosting economy of the people.
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The Minister announced that a new permanent seismological observatory is proposed to be set up in Kishtwar to augment the national seismological network, enhance earthquake monitoring and increase disaster preparedness in the region. With the proposed automatic weather forecasting system, the people in advance can be informed about the mood of the weather, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that Government of India in view of last year’s Chasoti catastrophe which caused lot of devastation has taken various measures to prevent such tragedies in this hilly belt.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also announced that site selection for installation of Automated Weather Stations at Paddar and Machail has been completed to improve weather forecasting and support disaster management efforts. He said the installation process would be undertaken soon.
It may be recalled that on August 14 last year due to cloudburst in Chasoti in Paddar Sub Division of Kishtwar district during Machail Mata yatra 60 people lost their lives while over 16 houses, temple and dozens of vehicles were washed away in flash floods caused due to cloudburst.
The Government has taken robust measures to prevent such tragedies by installing automatic weather forecasting system, said the Union Minister.
During the meeting, the issue of development of an airstrip in Kishtwar under the UDAN scheme was also discussed, particularly with regard to acquisition of additional land. The Minister directed Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Sharma to take up land extra acquisition proposal with concerned authorities for early progress.
The Union Minister also reviewed the proposal for development of a Saffron Park in Kishtwar, which has been pending for the past 12 years. He directed the concerned authorities to arrive at a consensus regarding the suitability of the identified land parcel so that the project can be expedited. Highlighting the importance of promoting local produce, the Minister emphasized the promotion of cumin seeds (Kala Zeera) under the One District One Product initiative. He suggested that cumin from the district could be developed as a signature product and presented as a souvenir to visiting dignitaries.
The Minister further reviewed issues related to the construction of cremation sheds, and directed the concerned department to accelerate the pace of work to ensure early completion. Addressing rehabilitation concerns of Kandani inhabitants affected by ongoing power projects, he instructed the authorities to take immediate steps for fair compensation, proper resettlement and addressing grievances in a time-bound manner.
During the DISHA meeting, which was also attended by Member of Parliament, Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo, MLA Kishtwar Shagun Parihar and officers of various line departments, Dr Jitendra Singh emphasized the need for better inter-departmental coordination for timely execution of projects.
The Union Minster reiterated the commitment of the Narendra Modi Government saying it has given priority to the development of far-flung and hitherto neglected areas by previous Governments.
The Minister urged the public to avail benefits of various Centrally-Sponsored Schemes, and instructed officers to enhance awareness campaigns for wider outreach. The meeting witnessed detailed deliberations on ongoing developmental works, infrastructure gaps, and key public concerns across the district.
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