Gujarat CM meets officials of armed forces, extends full cooperation

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Friday met officials from the armed forces and assured them that they won't face any difficulty in carrying out their operations in the state.

The meeting was aimed at establishing better coordination between government departments, armed and paramilitary forces operating in the state, said Harsh Sanghavi, minister of state for home, after the interaction in Gandhinagar on Friday morning.

Besides senior employees of various departments, including police and collectors of border districts, officials from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Border Security Force and Coast Guard also attended the meeting, he said. 

The CM thanked the armed forces on behalf of the people. He also reviewed the work of all the departments to ensure that the forces do not face any difficulty in such a crucial time, Sanghavi told reporters after coming out of the meeting.

The minister appealed to civilians not to believe in rumours and urged them to rely on information shared by district authorities.

The meeting was held against the backdrop of the Indian armed forces carrying out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan under Operation Sindoor in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.

India on Thursday night neutralised Pakistan military's attempt to hit military stations in Jammu, Pathankot, Udhampur and some other locations with missiles and drones.

As per a release by the Gujarat government, Kutch, Banaskantha, Patan and Jamnagar districts that either share the land border or are close to the land or maritime border with Pakistan, have been put on high alert.

During the meeting, the CM reviewed evacuation preparedness in border villages, civil defence activities, health services and maintenance of communication networks in case of emergency, said the release. 

The CM instructed officials to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of control rooms and emergency operation centres in all districts, it said.

Patel also asked officials to arrange alternative means of communication, like satellite phones, in case of an emergency.

The CM asked the district officials concerned to store sufficient quantities of essential items and fuel as a precautionary measure so that the citizens do not face any problem, it said.

Patel also assured the armed forces that the state government will provide them with all the necessary assistance as quickly as possible.

A total blackout of more than 7 hours was enforced in several parts of the border districts of Kutch and Banaskantha in Gujarat on Thursday night as a precautionary measure, officials had said earlier.