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A high-level review meeting was held under the chairmanship of Uttarakhand's Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan in Dehradun to ensure the uninterrupted supply of gas, fuel, and other essential commodities in the state in view of the current global situation in West Asia, which has blocked the international shipping route of Strait of Hormuz.
According to an official statement, the meeting included detailed discussions on key issues such as the availability of domestic and commercial gas, requirements of hospitals, educational institutions, and industries, the anticipated surge in demand during the upcoming Char Dham Yatra, the status of fertilizers, expansion of PNG pipelines, CNG supply, measures to curb black marketing and hoarding, rumor management, and the promotion of alternative energy sources. The Chief Secretary clarified that there is adequate availability of gas and other essential commodities in the state, and there is no shortage. He appealed to citizens to avoid unnecessary panic. He emphasised that this is the time to rapidly move towards green energy to reduce dependence on imports and achieve the carbon neutrality target by 2070. He directed all departments to promote the use of alternative energy in domestic, industrial, and transport sectors, the statement read. The Chief Secretary instructed the Tourism and Food and Civil Supplies Departments to accurately assess the additional gas demand during the Char Dham Yatra and prepare a proper plan. He also directed coordination with the Central Government to ensure the availability of additional fuel as required. Strict enforcement actions were ordered to prevent black marketing of gas, crude oil, and fertilisers. Special surveillance was also directed in areas along the Nepal border. The Agriculture Department was instructed to prevent unnecessary hoarding of urea and to link fertiliser distribution with agri-tech, farmer registry, and actual cultivation data to avoid misuse. All District Magistrates were directed to grant immediate approvals related to PNG pipelines and to promote pipeline-based gas usage and green energy in industries, including the pharmaceutical sector. To ensure the dissemination of accurate information to the public, daily press briefings at the state and district levels were directed to effectively control rumours. The Chief Secretary also instructed the promotion of pine needle briquettes, biogas plants, solar stoves, and solar cookers. Urban local bodies were directed to mandatorily expand biogas plants, while the Energy Department was asked to expedite the expansion of alternative energy. Directions were also issued to promote electric vehicles in both government and private transport sectors and to transition the transport sector towards green energy. To assist citizens stranded in Gulf countries and the Middle East, instructions were given to issue toll-free numbers. Special Secretary Nivedita Kukreti was designated as the state-level nodal officer, with directions to appoint nodal officers at the district level as well and to release toll-free helpline numbers. The Chief Secretary also directed regular monitoring of gas agencies and distributors, daily inspection of stock registers, and immediate corrective action in case of supply imbalances. Additional gas arrangements were also instructed for occasions such as wedding ceremonies. The meeting was attended by Director General of Police Deepam Seth, Principal Secretaries R. Meenakshi Sundaram and LL Fanai, along with senior officials, state-level coordinators of oil companies (IOC, BPCL, HPCL), who were present at the Secretariat auditorium, while District Magistrates and other officials from various districts joined the meeting virtually. (ANI)
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