The urban cooperative banks operating in the areas being affected by the Cyclone Biparjoy in Gujarat have sought permission from the RBI to remain shut for 2-3 days. Since the RBI mandates that banks cannot remain shut without seeking RBI’s permission, this move was initiated by the NAFCUB.
In a letter to the Regional Director, Reserve Bank of India in Ahmedabad, Nafcub argues that due to Cyclone in the Saurashtra and Kutch Region, many of UCBs working from coastal belt of the Saurashtra and Kutch region may not be in a position to open their branches for two to three days due to severe cyclonic effect and also as a measure of disaster management.
UCBs from Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Jamnagar, Porbandar and Kutch districts are going to be the worst hit. The landfall of this cyclone is very uncertain and may hit any part of the Saurashtra /Kutch region. Looking at the severity of the Cyclone, even after the cyclone peters out UCBs may find it difficult to conduct normal banking business for two to three days.
“In the circumstances, we request you to provide regulatory support to affected UCBs, wherever needed”, says the Nafcub in its letter.
Talking to the Indian Cooperative Thursday evening from Rajkot, Nafcub President Jyotindra Mehta said the situation is so tough that even if the bank remains open, nobody is going to turn up. Since it is RBI’s mandate we must inform them in advance, he added.
Mehta said that Porbandar Urban Co-op Bank and some UCB branches in Dwarka may get affected due to the Cyclone Biparjoy. “We do not have any picture of the situation as of now but we will keep you posted once the Cyclone settles down and the damage is assessed”, said Mehta adding that Rajkot is safe and except for a windy evening nothing else is being felt here.
Earlier, Dileepbhai Sanghani also reviewed preparations and preventive measures in the context of the Biparjoy cyclone. Being the Chairman of Gujcomasol, he met the officials and a decision was taken to shift to-be affected persons to the godowns of Gujcomasol which are operative in Junagadh and other affected areas.
Meanwhile, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel held a review meeting at the State Emergency Operation Center in Gandhinagar regarding the Cyclone Biparjoy. As per IMD reports, the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm, which is moving northeastward in the Arabian Sea, is predicted to cross and make landfall at the Jakhau Port in Kutch this evening.
Earlier, the IMD issued a Red alert for Saurashtra and Kutch coasts, saying that VSCS (Very Severe Cyclonic Storm) Biparjoy will cross Saurashtra and Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi and Karachi near Jakhau Port by Thursday evening.
18 teams of NDRF and 12 teams of SDRF have been deployed across Gujarat but the maximum number of rescue teams are in Kutch.
