Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Sham Lal Choudhary today chaired a meeting of sectoral officers at SDM Office R S Pura and took stock of the preparedness of the administration to deal with any exigency in the wake of prevailing situation in border villages of R S Pura and Bishnah tehsils of Jammu District.

The Minister convened the meeting after he had interaction with people staging protest in R S Pura with dead bodies of two persons of village Chandu Chak who lost their lives in cross border firing today.

Interacting with the people, the Minister expressed solidarity with the families, adding that the government would extend every possible help to the NoKs.

Directing the police authority for keeping available bullet proof bunker to shift people during cross-border firing, Sham Choudhary asked the law enforcement agencies to remain on high alert and take swift action, if any emergency arises. He asked the concerned to ensure adequate supply of ration, LPG cylinders, K Oil, uninterrupted power and water supply in the camps. He directed for regular power supply in the border villages especially during night.

Directing the Health authorities for deputing 4 additional doctors in Community Health Centre R S Pura, the Minister asked to station adequate number of ambulances at health institutions of the area and keep the staff alert for dealing with any eventuality. He also asked the Animal Husbandry Department to provide free medicines to people whose livestock is injured in the cross-border firing.

Sham Choudhary directed SDM, R S Pura to identify the places for setting up of more temporary shelters at safer places and inform the people accordingly so that they can get safe places at the time of emergency. He also directed the education department for issuing order with regard to closer of education institutions falling within 4 kilometres from zero line.

The Minister was informed that six camps have been set up at different as temporary shelter of people shifted from border villages. These camps have been established at Bana Singh Stadium, Government Girls Higher Secondary School, R S Pura, Government Boys Higher Secondary School, R S Pura, Social Welfare office R S Pura, Government Higher Secondary School, PindiSarochan and Government Higher Secondary School, Dablehar.

SDM, R S Pura, Additional SP Rural, SDPO, R S Pura, officers of line departments including Revenue, Health, Education, Power Development Department, PWD (R&B), Rural Development Department, Public Health Engineering, Irrigation & Flood Control, Agriculture, Horticulture, Social Welfare and Animal Husbandry attended the meeting.