For the first time since the beginning of hostilities between India and Pakistan following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 22, the District Collector of Devbhoomi Dwarka district on Sunday appealed to citizens to observe a voluntary “blackout” from dusk till dawn.
In the public appeal posted as a statement on social media site X at around 6.30 pm Sunday, Collector Rajesh M Tanna stated, “Keeping in mind the seriousness of the current situation, the district public, commercial establishments and organisations is appealed to observe a blackout from dusk till dawn until further orders.”
The statement also asked people to obey administrative orders and keep away from rumours.
On Saturday, to mitigate rumours, the district administration in Dwarka had issued a statement confirming that there is enough stock of fuel, including petrol and diesel, in the district.
While The Indian Express could not reach Collector Tanna for comment, District Development Officer (DDO) AB Pandor confirmed that the appeal had been made to the public as a precautionary measure.
Meanwhile, state Tourism Minister Mulu Bera chaired a review of the situation at the Collector’s office in Dwarka “and obtained information about the prior preparations made by the district administration such as evacuation, health, water, food supply and other related arrangements”.
The Devbhoomi-Dwarka district lies at the tip of the western seaboard of Gujarat and is home to several vital important sites, including those from an ecological, archaeological, religious and infrastructure points of view. It is also important from a national security perspective.
Brendan Dabhi works with The Indian Express, focusing his comprehensive reporting primarily on Gujarat. He covers the region's most critical social, legal, and administrative sectors, notably specializing at the intersection of health, social justice, and disasters.
Expertise
Health and Public Policy: He has deep expertise in healthcare issues, including rare diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), the complex logistics of organ transplants, and public health challenges like drug-resistant TB and heat health surveillance. His on-ground reporting during the COVID-19 pandemic and Mucormycosis was critical in exposing healthcare challenges faced by marginalized communities in Gujarat.
Social Justice and Legal Administration: He reports on the functioning of the legal and police system, including the impact of judicial philosophy, forensics and crucial administrative reforms (. He covers major surveillance and crackdown exercises by the Gujarat police and security on the international border.
Disaster and Crisis Management: His work closely tracks how government and civic bodies respond to large-scale crises, providing essential coverage on the human and administrative fallout of disasters including cyclones, floods, conflict, major fires and reported extensively on the AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad.
Civic Infrastructure and Governance: Provides timely reports on critical civic failures, including large scale infrastructure projects by the railways and civic bodies, as well as the enforcement of municipal regulations and their impact on residents and heritage. ... Read More
