Bhubaneswar: The Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Department has issued a detailed SOP for the urban local bodies (ULBs) in Odisha to tackle the heatwave situation in the summer. 

The H&UD Department issued the SOP in the wake of rise in daytime temperature across the state in last few days.

“The daytime temperature has started rising abnormally due to unusual rainfall followed by prevailing erratic climatic condition. The urban areas usually experience high temperatures in summer due to concentration of concrete buildings, more road surfaces and infrastructure absorbing solar heat. The state government has issued a detailed SOP for the ULBs to take the necessary steps to tackle the situation,” said the H&UD department.

The main points of the SOP are:

  1. PHEO/ULBs are required to ensure adequate drinking water supply to all the urban areas. For this purpose, water supply pipelines should be kept in proper working condition and any complaint thereof needs to be attended within 24 hours.
  2. Water Tankers should be deployed at different scarcity pockets for providing drinking as part of emergency measures. Additional number of tankers, if required, may be arranged on hiring basis.
  3. All the tube wells/ hand pumps must be kept in operational condition and spare parts should be kept ready for repairing.
  4. Control Rooms are to be opened as usual in the PHEO/ WATCO, city level offices and managed by responsible officials to attend to the complaints received on water scarcity. The heat wave warnings issued by IMD should be tracked on regular basis and if necessary, control room of IMD/State EOC may be contacted for such information.
  5. The ULBs should start opening adequate number of water kiosks--PANIYA JAL BITARAN KENDRA--at strategic places including roadsides, crossroads, public offices, bus stand, railway station and marketplaces through Mission Shakti-SHGs/ Federations/ NGOs. Water provided in such water kiosks must be of portable quality and proper sanitation be maintained including use of long handle dispensers and regular change in water.
  6. Agencies doing such work only for self-publicity and discontinuing the same after initial days should be avoided and dealt with strongly.
  7. Strict enforcement of burning of municipal solid waste, garden/ tree residual in urban areas.
  8. Adequate awareness may be created to keep one pot of water in front of households for stray birds and animals which is to be changed on alternate days for better hygienic purposes.
  9. C & D waste from the roadside need to be cleared as per rule. To check and arrest the flying dusts, following steps should be taken:

---Construction agencies and Households must be cautioned to cover their construction area to avoid spillage or earth/dust and sprinkle water over uncovered portion while executing the works. They should ensure safe disposal of spillage and demolition materials immediately otherwise they should be penalized.

---Vehicles transporting construction material like sand, bricks, cement and garbage must be fully covered with tarpaulin sheet and their speed is to be limited.

---The earthen layer beside the road should be maintained at lower level than to metal level so that same will not come over to road again by rainwater or vehicular movements.

---Residual fly ash generated from burnt coal/ briquettes by the roadside hotels and eateries are being piled up on road which is causing dust pollution and temperature rise. Use of coal or coal briquettes is to be banned in all urban areas.

---All the water bodies in and around urban areas should be rejuvenated, restored and repaired and these should be made free from pollution to make them usable.

---All the Environmental Acts/Rules, NGT guidelines concerning improvement of urban area environment must be followed strictly and authorities concerned including police, forest officials and OSPCB should carry out their responsibilities diligently.