Ports, industries, and farming community in Saurashtra and Kutch in Gujarat are bracing for the impact of the ‘extremely severe’ cyclonic storm Biparjoy, which is likely to hit the cost near Jakhau port in Kutch by noon of June 15.
While the State ports regulator Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) has halted operations for all of its minor ports in the region, the Kandla Port under the Deendayal Port Trust has suspended operations with entire port premises cleared of the goods to the safety.
At the ports along the coast in Saurashtra and Kutch, the authorities have flagged warning signal no.10, indicating great danger.
In view of the approaching severe cyclone, Gujarat Pipavav Port Ltd under the APM Terminals, Pipavav has suspended its operations at Pipavav Port “since late evening on Saturday.” Also, with reference to the earlier disruption in the grid power supply, the company informed that it had commenced its port operations on June 7 through the commissioning of the DG sets and the grid power supply was fully restored since late evening on Friday June 9 GPPL said in a statement on Monday.
High waves alert
All ports including Adani Group’s Mundra Port, Mandvi Port, Jakhau, Navlakhi, Salaya, Okha, Jamnagar and Porbandar are put on alert for high waves of about 3.5-7 meters tidal waves are likely till midnight of June 13.
Cement major Sanghi Industries informed that it has taken precautionary measures at its Kutch plant in the wake of cyclone Biparjoy. “We have issued advisories to all our employees, dealers, C&F agents and our transporters outlining precautionary and safety measures. Additionally, we have set up dedicated control rooms at our corporate office and at our plant to closely monitor the situation and respond promptly if needed.”
Safe evacuation
The company has initiated safe evacuation of its workers from kutcha houses to the Group’s residential colony and school. “We are also in constant touch with the local authorities to mitigate the risks posed by the cyclone,” said the company spokesperson.
Earlier on Monday, Indian Coast Guard airlifted 11 personnel from a jack-up rig ‘Key Singapore’ operating off the Dwarka coast as part of the evacuation of the personnel involved at the oil installations.
Meanwhile, the State government has also alerted the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) yards in six districts of the region to take preventive measures to protect the agricultural crops stored at these APMC yards. The authorities have directed farmers and the APMC administration to shift the crops stocked in open under the protective shelter.
Biparjoy formed into a cyclonic storm on June 6 in the Arabian Sea and moved northwards towards Gujarat-Pakistan coast.