Dehradun: Amid continuous rainfall across Uttarakhand and the India Meteorological Department’s warning of heavy precipitation, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reviewed the prevailing situation and directed officials to accord the highest priority to protecting lives and ensuring public safety. Following the Chief Minister’s instructions, Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman reviewed the state’s preparedness from the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) on Thursday and directed all departments to remain on 24-hour alert.
During the review, the Secretary informed that a Red Alert has been issued for Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, and Champawat districts for 10 July, while Dehradun, Pauri Garhwal, and Bageshwar are under an Orange Alert. In view of the weather warnings, district magistrates, police, SDRF, the Public Works Department, drinking water, electricity, health, and other concerned departments have been instructed to remain fully prepared.
Issuing special directions regarding the Char Dham Yatra, the Chief Minister said that pilgrims should be stopped at designated safe holding points wherever weather conditions are severe or travel becomes risky. These locations should be equipped with food, drinking water, medicines, milk for children, toilets, accommodation, and other essential facilities. Pilgrims should be allowed to proceed only after weather conditions improve and routes are declared safe.
The Disaster Management Secretary instructed officials to maintain continuous monitoring of rivers, seasonal streams, mountain rivulets, and landslide-prone areas. Residents of high-risk locations should be shifted immediately to safer places whenever required. He also directed authorities to ensure the safety of workers at construction sites and to temporarily suspend construction work if necessary.
The meeting also reviewed the status of roads, drinking water supply, and electricity services affected by rainfall. Officials were instructed to reopen roads blocked by landslides or heavy rain on a priority basis, with particular emphasis on restoring rural roads to ensure uninterrupted delivery of essential services and relief supplies to remote areas. Advance deployment of JCBs, excavators, other heavy machinery, and manpower at vulnerable locations was also ordered.
Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman appealed to the public to follow official weather advisories, avoid unnecessary travel—especially in hilly and landslide-prone regions—and stay away from rivers, streams, and waterlogged areas. He advised citizens to contact local authorities or emergency services in case of any emergency and urged them to rely only on official information issued by the government and administration.
