08 May,2025 10:31 PM IST | Jaipur | mid-day online correspondent
Vehicles pass by amid blackout at Anugarh area of Sri Ganganagar district in Rajasthan, on Thursday. Pic/PTI
The Rajasthan government has cancelled the leaves of the administration and police personnel deployed near the International Border and closed schools in five districts amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor, reported news agency PTI.
The leaves of all the medical, nursing and paramedical staffers have been cancelled in case an emergency situation arises. State Health Secretary Gayatri Rathore has advised the staffers to not leave their headquarters.
With high alert sounded in the border districts of western Rajasthan on Thursday, a blackout has been implemented in these areas, reported PTI. As a safeguard against possible air strikes, the blackout will remain in force from 9 pm to 4 am in Barmer and Jaisalmer owing to the presence of critical infrastructure there. In Jodhpur, a blackout has been enforced from 12.30 am to 4 am.
Further, the administration has banned the flying of drones and bursting of crackers in Bikaner and Sri Ganganagar.
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Government and private schools have been closed in the two districts, along with Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Barmer, as a precautionary measure, officials said on Thursday.
In Jodhpur, the colleges will also remain closed, reported PTI.
India-Pakistan tensions: Flight operations suspended till Saturday
Moreover, flight operations at Bikaner, Kishangarh in Ajmer, and Jodhpur airports have been suspended till Saturday, as a precautionary measure amid India-Pakistan tensions.
The decisions were taken after Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma took stock of the situation in the border areas following India's strike on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
Chief Secretary Sudhansh Pant and state police chief UR Sahoo chaired a review meeting with divisional commissioners, collectors and inspectors and superintendents of police and directed them to be remain present at their headquarters, sources said.
Police have been directed to heighten security measures across the state in view of the developing security situation.
In the border district of Jaisalmer, Collector Pratap Singh Nathawat said all schools will remain closed till further orders but teachers have to be present there on time and warned of strict action if the order is violated.
Meanwhile, Barmer and Jodhpur district collectors issued advisories, urging residents to remain vigilant, and not to panic or spread rumours, while also cooperating with security agencies. The administrations in instituting critical safety measures for the safety of residents.
District collectors and the police have also been instructed to implement disaster management protocols that include stocking up hospitals with life-saving medications with personnel on standby, maintaining an adequate supply of all blood groups at all blood banks and keeping certain schools ready to serve as temporary shelters.
(With PTI inputs)
