Augment Precautions in view of Heat wave : Revenue Minister

Bhubaneswar, 07/03/2025:According to the information received from the Indian Meteorological Department, there is no possibility of heat wave in the state as of now. Information has been given to all the districts, concerned departments and field level organizations in this regard. Meanwhile, keeping in mind the heat wave this year, Minister, Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Shri Suresh Pujari has directed all the departments to take appropriate action in this regard.

The Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water Department and the Housing & Urban Development Department have been instructed to identify water-stressed areas in various villages, Padas and wards, ensure drinking water supply, provide water through water tankers for other uses, open drinking water service centers and water tanks at market places, bus stands and other crowded places, repair old tube wells, expedite piped water supply system, make arrangements for providing daytime shelter to the homeless and needy people in shelter homes and community centers in rural and urban areas.

The Water Resources Department has been instructed to provide required water to the canals from reservoirs. The Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Department has been instructed to make arrangements for drinking water for roaming animals/cattle.

Schools, colleges, technical educational institutions have been asked to repair the defunct tube wells and keep sufficient ORS available. Outdoor activities have been banned in schools and colleges during hot weather. The Departments of School and Mass Education, Higher Education, Department of Skill Development and Technical Education have been directed to change the school timings as per the advance information of the heat wave. The Anganwadi centres have to be kept open only in the morning hours and the W&CD Department has been directed to provide drinking water facilities and sufficient ORS packets to ASHA and Anganwadi workers. Arrangements for treatment of heat stroke patients in PHCs, CHCs and district headquarters hospitals, along with making life-saving medicines, saline and ORS available. Arrangements for Sunstroke awareness among the public, training of district level and other medical officers on Sunstroke management in health centres will be provided by OSDMA. Funds will be provided for this and accordingly the Health and Family Welfare Department and OSDMA have been instructed in this regard.

Keeping in view the heat wave, the Commerce and Transport Department has been instructed to change the bus running time and to arrange drinking water and first aid kits for passengers in the buses. The Labour and ESI Department has been instructed to make arrangements for drinking water and shelter for construction workers at the work site and to change the working hours keeping in mind the heat wave during the heat wave. The Energy Department has been directed to ensure uninterrupted power supply during the summer season.

The Forest Environment and Climate Change Department has been directed to create awareness among various groups to prevent and combat forest fires and to involve local groups, forest protection committees, PRI members and SHGs in protecting wildlife and birds from the scourge of forest fires, and to provide drinking water to zoos and to emphasize forestation in urban areas.

The Information and Public Relations Department and OSDMA have been directed to create awareness among the public regarding summer season by publishing posters, leaflets, and do’s and don’ts for the protection of human and animal resources. OSDMA has been instructed to create public awareness regarding the spread of cool roof technology and how to keep the house cool by applying white coating on the roof, and how to improve the city heat action plan starting from the state and district level to combat the effects of heat wave in the state.

On this occasion, the Hon’ble Minister held discussions with the District Magistrates of various districts through video conferencing about the preparations to combat heat wave and directed to take all precautionary steps as and when required.

Shri Deoranjan Kumar Singh, ACS, Revenue and DM Department and SRC, Shri Sanjeev Dwivedi, Senior Scientist, IMD Bhubaneswar Regional Centre and senior officers of all departments were present in this review meeting.