Dehradun, Aug. 22 -- The state government on Thursday announced a series of measures aimed at strengthening disaster preparedness, mitigation and relief operations across the state, directing officials to speed up compensation to affected families, hold mandatory monthly reviews, and equip every tehsil with dedicated rescue vehicles. The decisions were taken during a high-level meeting chaired by secretary, disaster management and rehabilitation, Vinod Kumar Suman, with District Magistrates through video conferencing. The meeting was held on the instructions of chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who has been monitoring the monsoon situation on a daily basis. After the meeting, Suman said that the chief minister has issued strict directions that ex-gratia payments to the kin of people killed in disasters must be made within 72 hours. "Any delay in this process will not be tolerated. In cases where identification or verification causes delay, compensation must still reach the dependents within a week," he said. He added that districts have adequate funds under disaster relief and reconstruction heads and must ensure timely disbursal without procedural bottlenecks. "The CM has been clear that relief should reach the people on time under all circumstances," Suman said. Suman said with the meteorological department issuing an orange alert for the coming days, the Disaster Management Department has directed district administrations to closely monitor rising water levels in rivers and streams. "DMs were asked to submit detailed reports on damages caused so far during the monsoon so that proposals for additional funds under SDRF and SDMF can be sent quickly to the Union government," he said. He said a seven-member central team is scheduled to visit Uttarakhand shortly to assess losses from heavy rains and floods. "This visit is critical as the extent of financial assistance from the Centre will depend on the team's findings. Districts must be fully prepared to present an accurate picture of damage," Suman said. Suman said the government has also made it mandatory for districts to hold review meetings on the 1st, 11th and 21st of every month to assess preparedness and response. Minutes of these meetings are to be shared with the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA). He said further, each tehsil will be equipped with a dedicated rescue vehicle to ensure timely relief and evacuation during emergencies. "Every tehsil should have its own vehicle so that local teams can respond quickly without waiting for district-level resources," Suman said. Vice-chairman of the state advisory committee, Vinay Kumar Ruhella, who attended the meeting virtually, cautioned that nearly six weeks of the monsoon season remain. He stressed the need for constant vigilance and public awareness. "All districts must compulsorily install signage in landslide-prone areas, near rivers and other sensitive locations. Alertness at every level is the only way to minimise loss of life and property," Ruhella said. He also suggested creating WhatsApp groups for students and traders to disseminate warnings more effectively, along with existing networks involving village pradhans and sarpanches. "At least 20 people in every village should be connected to these groups so that alerts reach the last mile," he said The meeting also discussed the controlled release of water from the Tehri dam in recent days. Suman directed the Tehri District administration to immediately inform counterparts in Dehradun and Haridwar ahead of any discharge so that downstream populations can be alerted in time. "Districts must maintain round-the-clock monitoring of the Ganga and take preventive steps as required," he said. Additional CEO (Administration) Anand Swaroop asked districts to keep disaster-related data updated at all times for quick submission to the Union Home Ministry. He also instructed DMs to report on expenditure of funds and, if necessary, seek additional allocations. DIG Rajkumar Negi, Additional CEO (Implementation), emphasised the need to identify sensitive residential areas near rivers and develop local alert mechanisms, drawing lessons from the recent Dharali disaster in Uttarkashi. He also called for an audit of unused helipads across districts so they can be activated in case of emergencies. Suman also stressed that daily review meetings should be conducted at the district level during the monsoon, with disaster management preparedness treated as a continuous exercise. "The Chief Minister is personally monitoring the evolving situation and expects districts to remain on full alert," he said. He said SDMA has also set a goal of sending alerts to every citizen in Uttarakhand. For this, it is relying on extensive use of social media, district-level WhatsApp groups, and the State Emergency Operations Centre, which disseminates real-time warnings, he added....