National panel directs centre, states to restore telecom links hit by Tauktae

The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Thursday directed the central and state agencies to “expeditiously” restore the telecommunication, power, road and water supply links affected by Cyclone Tauktae.

A statement issued by the Union Home Ministry said the meeting, held to review the relief-and-rehabilitation efforts undertaken in the aftermath of the extremely severe cyclonic storm in the Arabian Sea, also discussed the “efforts carried out by the navy and the coast guard, along with other agencies, to rescue persons on three barges and one offshore drilling vessel of ONGC”.

As many as 37 personnel have died while 38 are still missing, after the navy rescuers, battling extreme weather, rescued 186 of the 261 people who were onboard barge P305 off the Mumbai coast and two personnel from a tugboat.

“Chief secretaries of the states and advisors to the administrators of the Union territories apprised the committee of the damage to infrastructure, crops as well as loss of life in the affected areas and the measures taken by them to restore telecom, power, roads, water supply, and other utilities.

“It was noted that due to the timely and accurate forecast of the IMD and coordinated efforts of all concerned central and state/UT agencies, damage and loss of lives have been limited,” the statement said.

Due to the advance and timely action taken by all agencies, the functioning of hospitals and COVID-19 care centres in the areas hit by the cyclone also “remained unaffected”, it added.
The chief secretaries and officials of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, along with senior officers from Lakshadweep, Dadra, and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, participated in the meeting.

Officers from various central government ministries such as home, shipping, telecommunications, oil, power, health, food, and public distribution, drinking water and sanitation, the member secretary of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the directors general of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the coast guard and the deputy chief of the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) also attended the meeting.

Tauktae made landfall on Monday night near Una town in Gujarat”s Gir Somnath district and wreaked havoc for around 28 hours, before weakening into a depression.
According to official data, at least 53 people were killed in various parts of Gujarat due to the heavy rain and storm-like incidents that occurred during the cyclone fury. ANI