Prabhari secretaries, ministers to camp in coastal districts:CM(videos)

Gandhinagar, 27 October 2014

After presiding a high-level meeting to review state’s preparedness for Nilofar cyclone, Gujarat Chief Minister briefly spoke to media persons and shared following details:

-Prabhari minister of each district will leave Gandhinagar and camp in district assigned to him after 30th.

-Prabhari IAS officer of each coastal district will leave Gandhinagar and start camping in district and will not leave district even after cyclone strikes.

-Water tanks will be filled with water in advance because water distribution network is powered by electricity, and in case of power failure due to cyclone, water distribution stalls.

-Most of the boats are likely to return by midnight today. Efforts to call back the boats from sea will continue tomorrow.

Official note from CM office

Gujarat takes up all emergency measures for ‘Nilofar’ cyclone likely to hit Gujarat at 100-150 kmph
Chief Minister Anandiben Patel directs Ministers and Secretaries to reach coastal districts, also alerts Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, NDRF, SRP

In the wake of ‘Nilofar’ cyclonic storms likely to hit the Gujarat coast during the next 72 hours with a velocity of 100-150 kmph, Chief Minister Anandiben Patel today directed the Ministers and Secretaries to reach districts assigned to them for coordination with the district administration to take up all possible emergency preparatory rescue and relief measures.

The eye of the storm is now situated about 1270 km southwest of Gujarat in the Arabian Sea.

Addressing a high-level review meeting here, she said the top priority should be taken to ensure no loss to life, while fishermen aboard their boats in the high sea have been told to return or not to venture out during the next 24 hours.

She directed the administration to keep enough stock of essential commodities, medicines ready and keep plans ready to rush the commodities to the needy, and keep alternatives plans in case of power shutdown and disruption of water supply, besides keeping ten teams of NDRF and SRP standby.

The Central Government’s Cabinet Secretary is in touch with Gujarat’s Chief Secretary and other senior officers. Mrs. Patel along with her Cabinet Ministers are also in constant touch with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and Coast Guard inquiring about the velocity and intensity of the advancing cyclone. She asked the collectors to ensure people stay away from panic and rumours.

The Chief Secretary Varesh Sinha gave details of the likely threats from the cyclone. The meeting was attended by senior officers of IMD, Air Force, Coast Guard, Army, NDRF

District collectors hold meetings:

According to Kutch Collector Mahendra Patel, the district administration has finalized the places of relocation. A master plan for disaster management has been prepared. Coast Guard has been asked to round up fishing boats in 20 nautical mile areas off Kutch coast and bring them back to nearest port by 29 October.

According to district Collector of Porbandar parking of boats, power supply, contacting fishing boats through mobile phone and VHF to ask them to return etc were issues discussed in the meeting today.