Highlights of Dy CM Nitin Patel’s briefing on preparedness for Vayu Cyclone landfall

Gandhinagar: Following are the main points of Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel’s briefing late in the evening today on the preparedness for Vayu cyclone landfall.

-10 districts of Sauashtra, 31 talukas, 408 villages to be directly impacted.

– Barring Surendranagar district, the cyclone may cover entire Saurashtra and Kutch.

-60 lakh people to be impacted.

-During landfall the speed is expected to be at 110-120 kmph. Kachcha structures, wire lines, light poles etc will face damage.

-Approx 2,91,000 people living in low lying areas and kachcha houses will be shifted to safer places tomorrow.

– GSRTC buses and other transportation to be used for their shifting to safer places.

– They shall be shifted to pucca buildings of government and civil organizations.

– There are 11 teams of NDRF in the State. Teams from other states will reach tomorrow morning.

– Gujarat Police’s 10 well-trained SDRF teams will be deployed.

– 11 teams of Army to be deployed. 23 other teams of Army to be kept reserved.

– 2 teams of BSF to be deployed.

– In total 34 teams will be deployed while 27 other teams will be kept reserved

– The teams will have boats, capacity to remove trees that block highways and also rescue equipment.

– More than 100 JCBs are kept ready. Private JCBs will also be inducted to service if needed.

– For restoration of power supply and making arrangement of new poles.

– GEB has formed teams Group water schemes, hospitals and public places where restoration of power is urgently needed.

– Tomorrow’s cabinet meeting is cancelled. A meeting of newly elected parliament members scheduled tomorrow is also cancelled.

– Cabinet and senior ministers are instructed to reach 10 districts by 12.00 noon tomorrow. If needed they will stay there for three-four days.

– Senior secretaries have also been asked to reach 10 affected districts.

– CM, Dy CM, Chief Secretary will stay in Gandhinagar to monitor the situation and issuance of instruction.

– Today morning PM Narendra Modi discussed the situation with Chief Minister Rupani and assured all help from the Centre.

– People should fill fuel tanks of their vehicles.

– The citizens should keep their mobile phones charged in order to make it possible to contact for help.

– Tourists in Dwarka, Somnath, Junagadh, Sasan Gir and Kutch should shift to safer places. If possible they should cut short their journey.

– Many public buses will be used for shifting of people in low lying area. Therefore public bus transportation will be unavailable from post noon today.

– The citizens should store enough water in water tanks. So if power supply is disrupted, they can have water.

– Water under various schemes is being released in advanced.

– 5 lakh food packets will be made ready when needed. Voluntary organizations are contacted regarding this.

– Air Force is also requested for its assistance for rescue, airlifting and food packet distribution. The Government of India has also given instruction regarding this.

– Civil supply department is asked to ensure enough availability of stock in fare price shops.

– Leaves in government hospitals and offices are cancelled.

– In case of flooding, the irrigation department has been instructed to check the gates of dams in advance and close the gates in order to store maximum water.

– Mobile companies are asked to keep mobile towers working. If in case of lack of power, one company’s tower stops working, the other company should extend its service.

– Banaskantha flood experience suggest that cattle tied up at one place couldn’t survive. Therefore cattle rearer are advised to keep them free for movement.

– 5-8 inch rainfall is possible, flooding in river and rough sea conditions are possible.

– Weather department issues bulletin ever three hours and provides latest details.

– Bhupendrasinh has been assigned Gir Somnath district, RC Faldu – Amreli, Vibhavri Dave – Bhavnagar, Jawahar Chavda – Junagadh, Jayesh Radadia – Porbandar, Jaydrathsinh Parmar – Dwarka, Hakubha Jadeja – Jamnagar, Kunvarji Bavaliya – Morbi, Saurabh Patel – Rajkot, Dilipsinh Thakor – Kutch.

– Saurabh Patel has been assigned Rajkot as he is power minister and he can keep eye on power disruption situation in entire Saurashtra – Kutch region sitting there.

DeshGujarat