Chief Secretary directs Collectors to prepare district specific heat wave plans

Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar directed that schools should be closed early and instructed Collectors to prepare district specific heat wave plans in the wake of Met department forecast that day temperatures would increase further in the coming days.

Efforts should be made to ensure all amenities to students appearing for examinations. The education department will issue necessary guidelines regarding early closure of schools, the Chief Secretary said.

MNREGA timings should be adjusted so as to ensure that no worker suffers from heat wave conditions. Similarly, fire department should also be on high alert, he said during a teleconference with District Collectors and senior officials of health, education and disaster management departments on Wednesday.

He directed the officials to initiate steps to sensitize people about the measures to be



taken to avoid heat strokes. “Movement of elderly people and children in the afternoon should be avoided,” Chief Secretary said.

108 vehicles should be arranged, if any person suffers heat stroke and hospitals should be on alert to admit the patient and provide necessary treatment, he directed the health department officials.

The Panchayat Secretaries and other officials should conduct Gram Sabhas and create awareness among people, besides setting up water supply kiosks at market yards, bus stations etc. NGOs and other voluntary bodies may be mobilized to run water and butter milk supply centres.

All the departments have been directed to initiate an advance plan of action regarding preparedness, response, relief and mitigation measures to ensure zero human deaths due to heat wave.