Orange Alert Issued for Rain and Snowfall on 23 January
Disaster Management Department on High Alert Following Chief Minister’s Directions
Dehradun:
The Meteorological Department has issued a warning for rain, snowfall, frost, and cold wave conditions in several districts of Uttarakhand on January 23. As per the forecast, an Orange Alert has been issued for Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Bageshwar, and Pithoragarh, while a Yellow Alert has been declared for Dehradun, Tehri, Haridwar, Pauri, Almora, and Nainital districts. In view of the anticipated adverse weather conditions, the State Disaster Management Department has intensified precautionary measures across the state.
Following the directions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Secretary, Disaster Management and Rehabilitation, Vinod Kumar Suman, convened a review meeting on Wednesday with District Disaster Management Officers and officials from concerned departments. The meeting focused on assessing district-level preparedness to deal with possible situations arising from rainfall, snowfall, frost, and cold wave conditions, and ensuring advance arrangements for any emergency.
The Secretary directed all districts to maintain maximum vigilance during the period of adverse weather and to keep all line departments in alert mode. Departments including Police, Health, Public Works, Power, Drinking Water, Animal Husbandry, and Urban Local Bodies were instructed to remain fully prepared and ensure effective inter-departmental coordination.
Emphasizing the safety of pregnant women and newborns, the Secretary instructed that all necessary arrangements for safe deliveries be ensured in advance, particularly in remote, sensitive, and high-altitude areas. He further directed that timely transportation of pregnant women to nearby health facilities be arranged wherever required and that ambulance services remain fully operational.
Considering the likelihood of road blockages due to snowfall, instructions were issued for the advance deployment of JCBs, snow cutters, and other essential machinery on vulnerable and high Himalayan routes. The Secretary stressed that roads must be reopened on a priority basis during emergencies to ensure uninterrupted relief and rescue operations.
To minimize the risk of slipping and accidents, directions were given for the sprinkling of salt and lime in frost-affected areas. Districts were also instructed to identify sensitive roads, bridges, and pedestrian routes, ensure additional safety measures, and regulate or temporarily restrict traffic wherever necessary.
For protection against extreme cold, the Secretary directed that adequate bonfires be arranged at public places and in needy areas. Special emphasis was laid on ensuring that rain shelters in urban and severely cold-affected regions are equipped with electricity, drinking water, sufficient bedding, heaters, and water-heating facilities, so that no individual remains vulnerable during the cold spell.
Highlighting the importance of livestock safety, the Secretary instructed that adequate arrangements be made to protect animals from cold, snowfall, and frost. These include the provision of safe shelters, sufficient fodder, and drinking water, particularly in rural and mountainous areas, to prevent hardships for livestock owners.
Additionally, he directed that blankets be distributed timely to the needy and destitute, with regular monitoring to ensure effectiveness. The Secretary emphasized that any emergency situation must be immediately reported to the State Emergency Operations Centre, and that district control rooms remain operational 24×7.
The meeting was attended by Joint Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Obaidullah Ansari, along with experts from USDMA and other concerned officials.
