How Kutch administration is gearing up to tackle Nilofar cyclone

Bhuj, 28 October 2014

Following are the measures being taken by Kutch district administration to tackle possible landfall of tropical cyclone Nilofar in next 72 hours or so. Suppose if Nilofar weakens and fails to show major impact, even then, this exercise by the district administration will be helpful to learn the lessons of disaster management:

-Sagar Suraksha Dal swimmers on standby for eventual rescue operations.
-Evacuation operation carried out across 117 villages in Kutch district. Over 8,000 people shifted to safer location in Abdasa taluka. Over all more than 40,000 people shifted so far.
-NDRF teams moved to Kutch. Ahead of cyclone, they will meet villagers to aware them, and convey them safety precautions.
-Leaves of taluka and district level officers canceled.
-Health teams to counter epidemic.
-Forest department teams to remove uprooted trees obstructing traffic on roads.
-150 ST buses are to be allotted if needed to shift affected/likely-to-be-affected people.
-Villages located in 15 km area from sea shore are in focus for evacuation and shifting.
-Temporary medical centres with health staff and medicines.
-Over 40 tankers are ready for water supply.
-Additional Narmada water storage is being made.
-Generators to run tube-wells for water supply.
-Rop, life boat, jacket, generator set, JCB machines.
-Coordination with newspapers and cable TV network to relay updates.
-Two SRP companies called, one will be deployed at Kandla while other at Jakhau.
-BSF boats to be anchored at Buddhu bandar.
-An emergency gang of 200 power employees ready on round the clock basis to restore power supply.
-Additional electricity poles are procured with other equipments like transformer, wire etc.
-Power supply control room numbers are activated. They are 99789 36126 and land line 258052 in Bhuj.
-Additional Chief Engineer will camp in Kutch district. He has arrived from Rajkot.
-Food packets for power supply teams are to be made.
-District panchayat has started its own control room.
-Preparedness for chlorination of water.
-Kandla port has signal alert no.2.
-Coast Guard and Navy are asked to round up fishermen in 25 nautical miles area off Kutch coast and push them back to nearest fishing port. Directives are issued for proper parking of additional boats.
-Cattle must not be tied during cyclone. They should be free to run to safer location.
-Farm produce lied in open should be shifted to protected place due to possibility of rain. Specific crop wise directives are issued for groundnut, cotton, bajra, mag and tal.
-Villagers asked to shift cattle to safer places.
-Toll free helpline number 1070 dedicated to cyclone situation announced.