Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday chaired a review meeting on the preparedness for Cyclone Biparjoy. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and MPs from eight districts in the state virtually attended the meeting. The cyclone is likely to hit eight districts of the state on June 15.
“In the last nine years, the central government and states have achieved a lot in this area. Nobody can deny it. But we can’t stay content because disasters have changed their form and their frequency and intensity have increased. We will have to do more extensive planning,” Shah said, as quoted by ANI.
The Union Health ministry is also closely monitoring the cyclone situation, and is taking all necessary measures for any health emergencies.
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Mansukh Mandaviya, too, reviewed the measures being taken by the Centre and the Gujarat administration with State Health minister Rushikesh Ganeshbhai Patel at Bhuj on Tuesday.
The meeting reviewed the availability of all possible health facilities, oxygen and ventilator beds etc. for the affected people. The central and state governments are working together, Mandaviya tweeted.
Six multi-disciplinary Central Quick Response Medical Teams, pooled in from Dr RML Hospital, New Delhi; LHMC, New Delhi; Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi; AIIMS (New Delhi); AIIMS (Jodhpur) and AIIMS (Nagpur)] are ready to be mobilised in the event of any requirements for providing emergency care and services.
Besides, teams from NIMHANS, Bengaluru are also on standby to provide psychosocial care and aid to the affected population.
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also reviewed the situation related to the cyclone, which is likely to hit the Kutch region of Gujarat on Thursday.
The extremely severe cyclonic storm weakened on Tuesday into a very severe cyclonic storm, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The cyclone has been moving northwards at a speed of five kilometers per hour, and is centered approximately 290 km southwest of Gujarat’s Porbandar, the IMD said. It is expected to cross Gujarat’s Saurashtra and Kutch regions as well as adjoining Pakistan coasts on Thursday.