Odisha gears up to deal with heat wave; SRC issues guidelines for Districts

Bhubaneswar: As the mercury rose in Odisha with nine places recording day temperature above 35 degrees Celsius today and summer is fast approaching, Special Relief Commissioner, Pradeep Jena released guidelines for the Districts.

In a letter to the District Collectors, the Special Relief Commissioners directed them to take advance steps to identify the water scarcity pockets and prepare action plan for ensuring supply of water for drinking and others uses through tankers to those areas. The district administration were also directed to respond to reports of water scarcity to immediately.

In case schools and educational institutions remain open, extra care has to be taken to ensure availability of drinking water in all school and colleges. Wherever required tube wells inside the school campus may be repaired to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply. Sufficient ORS are also to be kept in schools, colleges and provided to students and staff requiring the same. Outdoor activities have to be restricted so as the students not be exposed to heat wave condition, the guideline added.

Anganwadi centres will remain open in morning hours only. Availability of potable water in all AWCs must be checked and ensured, the SRC asked the district administrations.

All public transport vehicles must carry sufficient potable water and ORS packets to be provided to passengers and staff requiring the same. During severe heat wave condition, timings of non-air conditioned public transport services may have to be rescheduled avoiding their plying during peak hours of heat wave.

The timing for engagement of labourers and workmen at worksites may be rescheduled. No work should be executed in peak hours during heat wave period.

In case of reports regarding death of a person due to sunstroke either at work place or any other area are received, the Collector should arrange to conduct immediate joint enquiry of the local case by the local revenue office like Tahsildar or Additional Tahsildar or any other Revenue officer in urban areas and the local Medical Officer. The joint enquiry report with countersignature of Collector should reach the SRC office within 48 hours of the reported death, the guideline stated.

The control rooms at the State level and the district level shall function round the clock during the period of heat wave.

Today Bhubaneswar was the hottest place in the State with the maximum temperature at 38 degrees Celsius.