Shimla, Dec 3 (NationPress) Himachal Pradesh is anticipated to have a typical winter season this year.

On Tuesday, a meeting led by Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena was convened to assess the state’s readiness for winter, alongside department heads and all Deputy Commissioners.

Saxena instructed officials to pinpoint vulnerable regions and ensure the deployment of sufficient personnel, machinery, and essential supplies ahead of time, focusing on areas for snow removal.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department's report regarding the winter forecast, the state is likely to experience a normal winter season.

During the meeting, the Chief Secretary urged authorities to prepare all departments for the impending winter challenges.

He emphasized the importance of preemptively positioning machinery such as bulldozers and snow-cutters and ensuring that necessary repairs are completed in advance. Key priorities for district administrations should include maintaining road access, hospitals, power supply, water services, and educational institutions.

The Chief Secretary requested that Deputy Commissioners guarantee sufficient food and fuel supplies in areas that could be isolated due to heavy snowfall and road obstructions. He also stressed the need for reliable communication channels in these regions.

Saxena called for the establishment of control rooms at all levels to facilitate coordination and prompt responses throughout the winter.

The meeting also addressed the pre-deployment of the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force in Shimla and other disaster-prone districts.

Officials from several departments provided updates to the Chief Secretary on preparations being made to ensure essential services remain operational, including hospital services, fire safety, and emergency response capabilities during any critical situations.

Moreover, the necessary winter stockpiles of food grains, fuel, and generator supplies have been sufficiently organized.

Attendees of the meeting included Director-cum-Special Secretary (Revenue and Disaster Management) D.C. Rana, Additional Director General of Police Abhishek Trivedi, Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap, and Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi, among others.