Uttarakhand: Secretary Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Dr. Ranjit Kumar Sinha held a meeting regarding dam projects, gave instructions to conduct mock drills to test the preparedness of the dams

A meeting was held with the dam projects under the chairmanship of Secretary Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Dr. Ranjit Kumar Sinha regarding the upcoming monsoon. In the meeting held at the Secretariat on Tuesday, the representatives of the dam projects of the state explained in detail about their preparations in view of the monsoon.

He said that a mock drill will be organized in the first fortnight of July to test the preparation and security arrangements of the dams. In the mock drill, it will be seen whether the sensors and sirens are working properly or not. Also, the SOPs made by the dam projects, how useful will those SOPs prove to be on the ground in an emergency situation. He said that it is very important to have a strong security system of dams and barrages. He said, all dams should install automatic sensors so that if the water level of the dam or barrage increases beyond a certain limit, the siren will ring automatically.

He asked the representatives of all the dam projects to deploy a nodal officer for coordination with the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority. He asked all the dams to share their SOPs and operational manuals with USDMA. Also asked to provide shadow control of siren and API of sensors to State Disaster Operation Center.

USDMA Additional Chief Executive Officer (Administration) Mr. Anand Swaroop, Additional Chief Executive Officer (Implementation) Mr. Rajkumar Negi, Additional Secretary Mahavir Singh Chauhan, Joint Secretary Vikram Singh Yadav, Deputy Secretary Jyotirmay Tripathi, Joint Chief Executive Officer Md. Obaidullah Ansari, USDMA experts Devidutt Dalakoti, Dr. Pooja Rana, Dr. Vedika Pant, Rohit Kumar, Tandrila Sarkar, Manish Bhagat, Hemant Bisht as well as representatives of various dam projects attended the meeting.

Instructions to install 360 degree siren in Dharchula

Dehradun. Secretary Disaster Management Dr. Sinha instructed the representatives of Dhauliganga Dam Project to install a 360 degree siren with a range of up to five kilometers in Dharchula. He said that Dharchula is the main center and the safety of the people living here is very important. Let us tell you that at present the dam management informs about the rising water level of the river over the phone. The siren installed by the Dhauliganga Dam Project is far away from Dharchula and its sound does not reach the city.

Tehri Dam’s water storage capacity reduced

Dehradun. In the meeting, THDC’s AGM AK Singh said that due to silt deposition, the water storage capacity of Tehri Dam has reduced to 115 million cubic meters. Earlier it was 2615 million cubic meters and currently it has come down to 2500 million cubic meters.

Show cause notice will be issued to UP Irrigation

Dehradun. In the meeting, Secretary Disaster Management Dr. Sinha expressed strong displeasure over the attitude of Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department. Secretary Disaster Management directed to issue show cause notice for not installing early warning system in dams and barrages under the control of UP Irrigation in Uttarakhand.

Glaciers will also be surveyed

Dehradun. Secretary Disaster Management Dr. Sinha said that due to climate change, Himalayan glaciers have also been threatened, so their study is also necessary. He said that a team is going soon to study the glacier lakes. A team will also be sent soon to study the glaciers.

USDMA will provide satellite phones

Dehradun UJVNL Executive Director Pankaj Kulshreshtha said that they have also bought satellite phones. If the communication system stops working during a disaster, then these will be of great help in communicating. Disaster Management Secretary Dr. Ranjit Kumar Sinha said that if more satellite phones are needed, then they can be taken from USDMA. He also asked to share the numbers of satellite phones available near the dams with the USDMA control room.

Danger points need to be marked along the river

Dehradun. In the meeting, Secretary Dr. Sinha said that it is necessary to mark danger points along the river so that the safety of the people going into the river is not at risk in case of sudden rise in water level and people avoid going there

Provide SOP of Vishnuprayag Dam Project

Dehradun. Secretary Disaster Management Dr. Sinha strictly instructed the representatives of JP Group’s Vishnuprayag Dam Project to share their SOP, emergency action plan and shadow control with USDMA’s State Emergency Operations Center as soon as possible. USDMA’s meteorologist Dr. Pooja Rana said that shadow control can be operated from the dam as well as the USDMA control room.