Chief Secretary, Gujarat on measures taken to tackle Nilofar cyclone

Gandhinagar, 28 October 2014

In a video conference with district collectors, district development officers, municipal commissioners, district police chiefs and other district level officers today, the Chief Secretary of Gujarat Dr. Varesh Sinha said that district emergency operation centers must be active on round the clock basis. He said that helpline numbers announced must be in working condition. Staff and officers on duty should continue to be in contact with villagers. Field officers should remain present at headquarters.

He stressed on evacuation, drinking water availability, power and healthcare facilities, diesel generator sets and petromax to counter power failure, availability of proper stock of water, food items and other things of daily use, bulldozer and cutter machines to remove uprooted trees, better coordination between district police, SRP, Coast Guard, Air Force, Army etc, return of fishermen from sea, onsite and of site plan procedures in major industrial units, power plants and ports, regulated movement of laborers, utilization of local TV channels to educate people on do and don’ts before/during and after cyclone, shifting of salt workers and closure of salt plant works, district level coordination with mobile service providers to ensure there’s no obstruction in service among other measures.

He said that Food and Civil Suppl department has made arrangement for proper supply of food items, fuel and daily usage material. All petrol pumps are supplied enough stock of petrol and diesel. Four tankers of diesel are reserved for Kutch district. Arrangements are made for 200 mt supply of daily use items in each taluka.

Health department has supplied enough stock of medicines and chlorine tablets in primary health centers, community health centers, sub centers and hospitals. Kutch district has been given more 108 ambulances. Auxiliary nurse mid-wife will be responsible for tracking of pregnant women. Enough ST buses are allocated for evacuation in coastal areas.

2 teams of NDRF are sent Bhuj, 1 to Gandhidham, 1 Gir Somnath, 1 Devbhmi Dwarka, 1 Rajkot and 1 Morbi. Ham radio teams are activated at Naliya, Bhuj and Gandhidham. Water supply department has arranged proper number of tankers, Private tankers, 5,000 liter PVC tanks, diesel generator seats at water supply department’s tanker filling points, 46 dewatering pump to tackle water logging(27 of them in Kutch) are stationed. Quick response teams are formed led by RFO to tackle uprooted trees.