Coast Guard on high alert after cyclone forecast, mobilise assets to respond to any contingency
Kolkata (PTI): The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Tuesday said it was on high alert and had mobilised its vessels and aircraft to respond swiftly to any contingency owing to a cyclonic storm that was likely to form over the Bay of Bengal.
A depression over the east-central Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm and cross Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island in the early hours of October 25 with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph, according to the IMD.
"The ICG has mobilised its vessels and aircraft, positioning them strategically to respond swiftly to any emergency situations," a statement said.
It said the ICG is on high alert, with its dedicated personnel and assets ready to provide assistance, rescue and relief.
Coast Guard personnel are working in coordination with the local administration and disaster management authorities in West Bengal and Odisha to ensure a coordinated and effective response, it added.
The ICG deployed helicopters and remote operating stations at Haldia in West Bengal and Paradip in Odisha to broadcast regular weather warnings and safety advisories to fishermen and mariners.
Alerts are being transmitted continuously to all fishing vessels, urging them to return to shore immediately and seek safe shelter, the statement said.
Helicopter sorties are also planned for search and rescue (SAR) missions in case of any distress at sea, it said.
Fishing communities along the coastline have been informed through various channels, including village heads, to prevent them from venturing into the sea until the cyclone passes, the statement said.
The NDRF has deployed nine teams so far across West Bengal to respond to any situation, it said.
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Maharashtra Congress chief Patole meets Kharge, dismisses resignation talk as 'rumours'
New Delhi, Nov 25: Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Monday dismissed as "rumours" talk of his resignation following the assembly polls debacle and stressed on "collective accountability" for the defeat.
Patole made the remarks after meeting Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge during which he conveyed that the result had not reflected the sentiments of the people of Maharashtra.
"Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other national and state leaders were leading Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) from the forefront during the assembly polls. So, we were sure that the trends were in favour of Maha Vikas Aghadi, even the citizens believed that," the Maharashtra Congress chief said.
"If I talk about Nanded, the Lok Sabha bypolls and assembly elections were held on the same day. In Lok Sabha bypolls, our candidate was winning in six assembly seats, whereas, in the assembly elections, we are not winning even a single seat," he said, adding that there cannot be such a "huge difference".
This is the sentiment among the people also and they have stated that this government in Maharashtra was not being formed on their votes, he claimed.
"So, I spoke to Mallikarjun Kharge on this," he added.
Asked whether he had offered to resign or the party had asked for his resignation after the Maharashtra assembly polls defeat, Patole said, "These are all rumours and there is no truth in them. There is collective accountability."
Patole also said he will meet Rahul Gandhi in a day or two and discuss all issues.
"Democracy is being finished. We have discussed that... there was no talk of resignation," he said.
The MVA alliance, comprising the Congress, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and Shiv Sena (UBT), was restrained to 46 seats by the Mahayuti that reaped a rich harvest of 230 seats in the 288-member House.
