As Gujarat braces for Cyclone Biparjoy, expected to cross its coasts on Thursday, the state government - in cooperation with the central government - continued its preparations with a focus on ensuring ‘zero casualties’. More than 37,700 people were evacuated to safety by Tuesday evening. While Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel held review meetings, various state and central ministers are stationed in different districts to oversee the preparation to deal with the first cyclone this year. Union Home Minister Amit Shah held an online meeting with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Ministers Prashottam Rupala and Mansukh Mandaviya, MPs, MLAs, and top officials of the central and state government to assess the preparedness. As per an official release, Shah said teams of the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, and Indian Coast Guard have been kept ready to provide help. Shah also suggested that owing to the cyclone there is the possibility of 8-10 inch rain that can lead to flooding in Kutch and Saurashtra region as he insisted officials concerned to stay prepared. He also instructed officials to make necessary preparations around Somnath and Dwarka temples. Citing an instruction from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah stressed the safety of wildlife in the forest of Gir should also be ensured. During the meeting, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel shared details of the preparations of the local administration. He said that 18 teams of NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) and 12 teams of SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) have been deployed and 4,050 hoardings have been removed from roads of municipal corporations and municipalities. The Director General of Meteorology was also present at the meeting. As per an official release, he informed the cyclone is likely to reach the Kutch district between Mandvi and Jakhau on the afternoon of June 15. Chief Minister Patel held a high-level meeting with top officials later in the evening at the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) to review the preparedness. The Chief Minister took stock of the health department's preparations for the vulnerable districts. He was informed that a total of 239 ambulances have been kept ready in areas prone to flooding. Also, four Chief District Health Officers (CDHOs) and 15 medical officers, and the director of animal husbandry are on duty in Kutch where the cyclone is likely to hit the state. Stocks of food packets, and milk powder among other things have been kept ready. Details of the preparation of the Roads and Buildings Department and Energy Department were also communicated to the CM. The R&B department has kept ready 167 JCB machines, 230 dumpers, and 924 other machinery vehicles have been deployed in Kutch. A senior engineer of the department has been kept on special duty in the district. Meanwhile, the Energy Department has kept teams ready to ensure that the feeders providing power are not affected. On Tuesday evening, the Chief Minister also issued a video message asking people to take necessary precautions during the cyclone. In Kutch, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Gujarat ministers Rushikesh Patel and Praful Panseriya are stationed. Gujarat ministers Kanubhai Desai, Raghavjibhai Patel, and Kunvarji Bavaliya have been camping in Morbi, Rajkot, and Porbandar districts respectively.
