Dehradun: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed top officials to enforce stringent surveillance across all border regions of the state, mostly for the Char Dham Yatra routes, due to security concerns following recent cross-border tension.
The directives came after a virtual meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on 7 May, held in light of escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.
The urgency of the discussions follows the terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, prompting India to launch Operation Sindoor. In retaliation, Pakistan initiated shelling along the Line of Control (LoC), resulting in civilian casualties in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district.
CM Dhami, after the virtual review with the Union Home Minister, held a high-level security meeting at his official residence.
He emphasised robust security along Uttarakhand’s borders, particularly in Uttarkashi and Chamoli, which share boundaries with China and in Champawat and Udham Singh Nagar bordering Nepal. Pithoragarh, which touches both China and Nepal, remains a critical zone.
Due to the Char Dham Yatra, which draws lakhs of pilgrims from across India, the CM Dhami has directed authorities to heighten security along the yatra routes and key installations.
“Security measures around all four pilgrimage routes must be fully activated,” the state government’s official statement quoted him as saying.
CM Dhami also reviewed the safety protocols for vital infrastructure such as dams and power plants, instructing departments and law enforcement agencies to stay on maximum alert.
He stressed the need to safeguard national-level institutions within the state and maintain uninterrupted supplies of essential commodities at the district and tehsil levels to ensure preparedness for any emergency.
“All hospitals should remain alert, and essential medicines must be stocked. Civil defence teams and voluntary organisations must receive training for emergency relief and rescue,” he added.
The Chief Minister also underlined the importance of controlling misinformation and panic, urging officials to ensure that only accurate and verified information reaches the public.
As a part of readiness measures, CM Dhami instructed that government employees’ leave should be restricted unless necessary and asked district magistrates and police superintendents to personally review security arrangements in their respective jurisdictions.
