In wake of incidents of loss of life owing to selfie craze among the people on the riverside, Kullu Deputy Commissioner Richa Verma has directed Sub Divisional Magistrate to install warning signage along the Beas River.

Issuing the directions in the district-level meeting held at Kullu on Monday for monsoon preparedness, Verma instructed that the warning boards and signage are installed soon to caution tourist not to venture along river banks and that the police and locals should also restrain the tourist from descending to the riverside at sensitive places.

She exhorted all the government departments to work in coordination to deal with any type of disaster in any part of the district.

“During any disaster, the contribution of each and every department and persons is necessary to mitigate damage, to conduct rescue operations and relief,” she said, adding that as Kullu district is sensitive in terms of many kinds of calamities, all the departments should be prepared to tackle the same.

Stressing on the need for taking effective steps and measures to prevent disaster, she said that the relevant departments associated with disaster management need conduct and undertake various studies.

“The problems like landslide are on a high especially during monsoons. The Public Works Department and National Highways Authority should make proper drainage arrangements for discharge of rain water from along the roads,” said Verma, directing the concerned departments to identify the sensitive sites in the district and submit a report.

She also directed the Irrigation, Public and Health (IPH) Department officials to provide regular clean drinking water supply in all the parts of the district during the summers and also clean the water sources, as well as water tanks including tanks supplying water in schools.

Verma instructed the Health officials to take water samples to prevent water-borne diseases and submit the report to the district administration.

She further directed the NHA to repair and maintain landslide sensitive roads on priority so as to ensure that there are no unnecessary traffic jams on the road.