Prevent heatwave deaths: HC asks Telangana, AP

The Hyderabad High Court on Monday told the governments of AP and TS to take immediate steps to implement the action plan prepared to prevent deaths due to heatwave conditions in the summer. The court told two states to ensure that no labour, particularly under employment guarantee scheme, should work between 12 noon and 3 pm during summer.

A division bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice P. Naveen Rao was dealing with a writ petition by one Srisailam of Ranga Reddy district, seeking a direction to the governments to evolve a mechanism to provide relief to the citizens.

Earlier, the TS government informed the court that it had taken steps to provide shelters,



drinking water, ORS sachets in public places and also free emergency health services for the people affected due to any heatwave.

TS special counsel A. Sanjeev Kumar said that three committees have been formed with principal secretaries of various departments to take steps during pre-summer, summer and post-summer to protect the people from the impact of any heatwave during three phases.

The AP government informed that it has also drawn up an action plan with all details including setting up an emergency response system to take steps to protect the people from any heatwave. While adjourning the case, the bench said that both the governments must start implementing their action plans.