Stresses on mandatory pre-monsoon preparedness and district-level readinessJammu Tawi, Jan 28: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo today while reviewing the measures undertaken by the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction (DMRR&R) to strengthen the Union Territory’s disaster preparedness, response and mitigation framework emphasises on anticipatory action, technology-enabled early warning systems, and seamless inter-agency coordination. During the meeting, the Chief Secretary was apprised of a comprehensive roadmap for strengthening disaster management across Jammu and Kashmir, which has been developed by incorporating lessons learnt from recent extreme weather events, post-disaster reviews and national-level consultations with agencies such as the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The Chief Secretary urged the department to take steps for implementation of the disaster mitigation framework without further delay, stressing the need for strong inter-departmental coordination to ensure effective execution of the roadmap on the ground. The Chief Secretary called for RFID-based management of pilgrimages, particularly the Machail Mata Yatra, along with creation of the requisite supporting infrastructure along the yatra route. The Chief Secretary directed time-bound implementation of all agreed action points and reiterated that disaster management in Jammu and Kashmir must remain people-centric, technology-enabled and coordination-driven, with preparedness, rather than response alone, forming the cornerstone of the Union Territory’s disaster risk reduction strategy.