"ICG has taken all preventive measures" says DDG (Ops) Pathak on impending Cyclone Biparjoy

New Delhi [India], June 12 : Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Deputy Director General (Ops) Manish Pathak on Monday said that the Indian Coast Guard has taken all preventive measures regarding the impending Cyclone Biparjoy.

While speaking to ANI, DDG OPS Manish Pathak said, "The Indian Coast Guard has taken all the preventive measures. We have warned all the fishermen, though a fishing ban is in progress on the west coast of India from June 1 to July 31. However, country boats, the smaller ones which were out at sea have been shepherded back.

Further, our Dorniers and ships have relayed the message to all the mariners, and the port authorities to come back to safer areas. Further, our regional operating centres, the radar stations we use the technology also have also been transmitting to all the mariners to come back to safer locations," he added.

When asked about if there are any marked locations, Pathak said, "For us, there are no marked positions which we would like to say. We have been tracking and trajectory of the severe cyclone. All the area out at sea where the sea will become rough is our operational area. Yes, landfall where it is going to do, closer to that wherever the ships are at Anchorage, the Gulf of Kutch where the SPM is in operations. Those merchant ships have also been told to evacuate the SPMs stop their operations and evacuate."

On Disaster Relief Team, Pathak said, "At the moment there are two ships of Gujarat Coast who are warning the merchant marinas, the ENP operators, the fishermen, though there is a fishing ban at the moment in the west coast of India 1st June to 31st July."

"However, few country boats are generally seen out at sea. So they are still warning them. If by chance we see any of them, though the state authorities have indicated to us that all the fishing boats have been accounted for and are in harbor. Further, we have 31 DRTs (Disaster Relief Teams) which are on standby with all the rescue and relief materials. In addition, five ships are in the rescue role, ready, out on the Maharashtra Coast," he added.

When asked about how difficult this operation could be keeping the severity of the cyclone in mind, he said, "As you've said that it is an extremely severe cyclone, so the sea is going to be rough. It is going to be difficult for the Coast Guards also. The winds are heavy, but it is our motto "We protect" (Vayam Rakshamah). So, we are always there when we see an opportunity to save a life out at sea. At present also there is an operation which is going on. There is a drill platform called 'Key Singapore'."

"There are about 50 people who are stranded over there. So the Coast Guard ALH is presently in operation and 11 people have been evacuated. We will be evacuating them despite those strong winds. The helicopter is in air and doing the operations'," he added.

Earlier today Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting to review the preparedness of ministries/agencies of the Centre, as well as, Gujarat to deal with the situation arising out of the impending Cyclone Biparjoy.

According to the official statement, Prime Minister directed senior officers to take every possible measure to ensure that the State Government safely evacuates people living in vulnerable locations and to ensure maintenance of all essential services such as power, telecommunications, health, drinking water etc. and are restored immediately in the event of damages caused to them.