Gangtok, February 20: The District Administration Centre (DAC), Gangtok, on Friday convened a coordination meeting to address pressing issues requiring urgent attention in the district, including urban water scarcity, reported cases of Avian Influenza in the State, and recent forest fire incidents in the Tumin–Lingee area.
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| District Collector Tushar G. Nikhare chairs a coordination meeting at DAC Gangtok to review water scarcity, Avian Influenza and forest fire preparedness. (Image: DIO Gangtok) |
The meeting, chaired by District Collector Mr Tushar G. Nikhare at his chamber, reviewed ongoing measures and preparedness across departments.
On the issue of water scarcity, the District Collector directed officials of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department to ensure hydrologists accompany field teams during expeditions to identified water sources. He assessed the progress of initiatives aimed at mitigating urban water shortages and sought updates on the Bhusuk project, which is intended to augment alternative water sources for Gangtok district. He also underscored the importance of water conservation efforts in rural areas.
Addressing the concern over Avian Influenza, Additional Director of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services (AH & VS), Ms Emila Shenga, made a detailed presentation outlining symptoms, transmission patterns, and cases detected in the State. She emphasised the adoption of the ‘One Health’ approach — an integrated, collaborative strategy to optimise the health of people, animals, and ecosystems — and elaborated on the Action Plan for Prevention, Control and Containment of Avian Influenza (2021), along with departmental responsibilities.
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The District Collector urged departments to disseminate awareness messages on Avian Influenza and issue advisories to promote preventive measures against forest fires and improve fire safety awareness.
He also reviewed preparedness at the block level with Block Development Officers (BDOs) and examined the Fire Department’s action plan for effective emergency response.
The meeting was attended by Additional District Collector Mr Tshering Norgyal Theengh, the Joint Director of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), and senior officials from various line departments.
