The departments that have been given this instruction are the Department of Telecommunication, Gujarat Electricity Board, the Ahmedabad Electricity Company, the Department of Civil Supplies, the Regional Transport Office, the Gujarat State Transport Corporation, the Health Department and offices of Collectors. The police, the Fire Brigade and the Civil Defence Department have also been asked to remain prepared.

According to highly placed sources in the State Government, each of these departments have been asked to keep their employees and equipment ready.

Sources said the Civil Supplies Department had been asked to replenish grain stocks while the Health department has been asked to keep hospital beds ready and blood banks filled.

"Instructions have been issued to the Gujarat Electricity Board to strengthen its state-wide network so that in case of emergency, blackout can be immediately imposed in any area of the State", a senior State Government official said requesting anonymity.

The Civil Department authorities said all the units of their department located in the 12 most sensitive areas of Gujarat have been alerted. The sensitive areas include Surat, Kakrapar (Surat district), Ankaleshwar, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Bhuj, Nalia (Bhuj district), Jamnagar, Vadinar (Jamnagar), Kandla Port, Okha (a port area).

Among these Bhuj is a border district, Kakrapar in Surat district has an atomic power plant, Vadodara has an Air Force station. Ankaleshwar and Surat are sensitive because a large number of chemical industries and refineries are located there.