Odisha asks collectors to find time to tackle heatwave conditions

Bhubaneswar: With the Met department forecasting rise in day temperature, Odisha government on Tuesday asked all district collectors to find time to tackle heatwave like conditions along with management of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic situation.

As Bolangir in western region of the state recorded maximum temperature at 41.5 degree Celsius followed by Bhubaneswar with 41.2 degree Celsius on Tuesday, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Jena asked the district collectors to prepare the administrative machinery to deal with the heatwave situation during the summer of 2020.

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The IMD in its forecast said "Maximum temperature (Day temperature) is likely to be above normal by 2-3 degree Celsius over the districts of Coastal Odisha during the next 2-3 days and it will be 40 degree Celsius or more in some places over the districts during next 3-4 days."

It informed seven places across Odisha on Tuesday recorded temperature above 40 degree Celsius. The places were : Bolangir (41.5), Bhubaneswar (41.2), Talcher (41.1), Sonepur (41), Angul and Boudh (Both 40.5) and Nayagarh (40).

The SRC in a letter to district collectors said, "Spare some time out of our busy COVID-19 management schedule to take a review with all concerned officers at district and sub-district level and ensure that all preparedness measures to combat heatwave are in place.

The SRC in his letter also mentioned that the government has ordered that work in agriculture, horticulture, fisheries and animal resources, forest sectors, MGNREGA, goods transport and certain other activities have been allowed during the lockdown period. Therefore, they should also be taken care during heatwave conditions.

The SRC also asked the district administrations to ensure uninterrupted water supply to all hospitals/ dispensaries including PHC/CHC, veterinary hospitals/ dispensaries.

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A meeting of the district level coordination committee will be convened, if required virtually, to arrange for drinking water distribution points (Paniya Jala Kendra) at strategic locations in the districts, Jena suggested in the letter, adding that hygienic practices and social distancing protocols must be maintained at these centres.

The district collectors were also asked to make necessary water arrangements for stray animals in rural and urban areas as well as for wild animals in the reserved forests.

(PTI)