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Vajpayee orders central agencies to put Kandla port back on rails

Prime Minister A B Vajpayee today directed all central agencies concerned to be put into operation to bring normalcy to the Kandla port in Gujarat, which was ravaged by the recent cyclone.

Vajpayee, who made an aerial survey of the cyclone-hit port town, was visibly moved by the extent of damage, and called upon the general public to put in efforts to bring the situation back to normal.

The prime minister said a central team would be sent to the entire cyclone-affected areas of Gujarat to assess the damage.

Vajpayee, who made an extensive aerial survey of the cyclone-affected areas of Gujarat, was told that over 900 naval personnel were involved in the rescue operations. Four ships and an equal number of choppers are stationed at Kandla to assist the civic and port authorities in the rescue and relief operations.

Twentytwo divers and medical and survey teams are also involved in the operations, and is still involved in a search operation. The prime minister was informed by the navy that till June 14, nearly 21 helicopters sorties were carried out to air-drop relief and rescue material. The navy also helped the port authorities in carrying out hull inspection of 10 grounded ships on the Arabian Sea coast off Gujarat.

The prime minister was also informed that naval survey teams utilising sophisticated sea-scan sonars surveyed oil and cargo berths and the approaches to the port for sunken objects which would have been otherwise hazardous for navigation. Underwater confirmation was carried out by naval divers.

Vajpayee described last week's devastating cyclone as an ''unprecedented natural calamity'' and said explanation should be sought from those who have failed to perform their duties in meeting the crisis.

Addressing a group of cyclone-affected people and survivors at Gandhidham after visiting the devastated area, Vajpayee, however, said blaming each other for the tragedy, which claimed hundreds of lives, would serve no purpose. It should be ensured that such disasters did not recur in future, he said. He said it was "only in such crises that our nerves were tested. We should find out where our failures lay. If precautionary and preventive measures were not taken in time, the reasons should be probed".

The prime minister regretted the immense loss of life and property, saying bodies of the dead were being continuously recovered and a ''large number'' of people were still missing. He expressed hope that most of them would be ''still alive'' and would return in a few days. The glory of Kandla as a major port of the country would be brought back, he said.

Emphasising the need for quick and full relief measures for the cyclone victims, Vajpayee said those who had lost their home and hearth should be rehabilitated soon. Quoting Union Surface Transport Minister Thambidurai, who accompanied him, he said the Kandla Port Trust would provide land to these who had been rendered homeless.

The prime minister said a central team would soon assess the losses and the Centre would provide assistance to the state government on the basis of its report. There would be no dearth of funds, he said.

Stressing the need for joint efforts by all the agencies concerned, the prime minister said it was a challenge to bring the state back to normal after such a gigantic calamity in which not only human and animal lives were lost but agriculture, industry and public property also suffered huge losses. The Centre had already extended some financial assistance, he said.

Lauding the efforts of those who came forward to help the victims, the prime minister especially referred to the yeoman service undertaken by the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy and the army, besides the Border Security Force and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh volunteers in mitigating the problems of the survivors and recovering and cremating the dead bodies. He said the non-government organisations had also come forward in a big way in this hour of crisis and their assistance would be required in future also.

UNI

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