Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday asked officials to step up security for the ongoing Chardham Yatra and important establishments, dams and power plants in the state in view of the circumstances arising out of the missile strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and PoK by the Indian military.
The chief minister issued the instructions after participating in a virtual meeting of Union Home Minister Amit Shah with the chief ministers of border states after the Indian military launched attacks on terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the early hours of Wednesday.
Soon after virtually attending the home minister's meeting, Dhami held a meeting with senior officials and asked them to be on alert.
Strong security arrangements should be made in all areas adjoining the international borders of the state and suspicious activities should be kept under strict surveillance, the chief minister said at the meeting.
In view of the Chardham Yatra going on at present in the state, for which lakhs of pilgrims are coming from the country and abroad, special security arrangements should be made in all the four Dhams as well as along the Yatra route, he said.
Necessary steps should also be taken to tighten security around many establishments of national importance located in the state, he said.
He instructed all the district magistrates (DMs) and superintendents of police (SPs) to review the security arrangements in their respective areas.
He also gave instructions to maintain the supply of essential commodities including food grains at the district and tehsil level to deal with any kind of emergency and to keep the hospitals ready with adequate availability of essential medicines.
Dhami said people should be provided with correct and authentic information so that rumours do not spread.
He also directed officials to keep a constant watch on it through social media and take strict action against those spreading rumours.