Government takes steps to beat the heat

BHUBANESWAR: After the state advisory to district collectors to take possible steps to mitigate the effect of heatwave, the Panchayati Raj Department on Monday directed the panchayati raj institutions to ensure uninterrupted supply of drinking water to all the households during summer months. In circular to all district collectors, project directors of district rural development agencies and BDOs, Panchayati Raj Secretary PK Jena has asked them to ensure that adequate drinking water is provided to labourers at all the work places  undertaken by the Government.Unskilled workers be employed to supply drinking water to the labourers engaged in different wage employment schemes, including NREGA. Those unskilled workers be paid minimum wage fixed by the Government. While employers have been restricted from engaging labourers from 11 am to 3 pm, the field officers of the department have been asked to create temporary rest sheds at all the project sides so that labourers can take rest during the gruelling heat. Gram panchayat officials have been asked to make drinking water arrangements near public places like weekly haat, market place, bus stops and locations where there used to be a large congregation of people. Similarly, water bodies should be created near grazing grounds and places where domestic animals like cattle and buffaloes gather during summer days. Panchayats have also been asked to take up minor repairs of defunct tube wells out of the funds provided from the 13th Finance Commission award. Elected representatives of the three-tier panchayati raj institutions (PRIs) have been requested to review the situation from time to time and take the assistance of NGOs to mitigate the effects of heatwave and miseries of the people. The PRIs have been instructed to organise public awareness programmes about heatwave and measures needed to be taken by the people. Meanwhile, the State Government has directed the Health Department to make special arrangements for treatment of patients affected by heat stroke.