By Tajdar H. Zaidi
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow chaired a high-level meeting in relation to the heatwave conditions in the State and directed top officials to maintain special vigilance in sensitive districts and make arrangements to provide compensation to victims within 24 hours.
“The Chief Minister instructed officials to ensure special monitoring to prevent the loss of human and animal lives due to the heatwave. He also directed officials to prepare and submit a weekly report to the Chief Minister’s office. Any officer found negligent will face strict action. Different departments have been asked to initiate coordinated effort,” read a statement from the State government.
Uttar Pradesh has been witnessing intense heatwave conditions with temperatures rising as high as 48 degrees Celsius. Prabhu Narayan Singh, Relief Commissioner (additional charge), said that the department had prepared an action plan in April, given that the State experienced extreme heat and heatwaves every year.
“Under this plan, continuous work is being carried out in every district of the State. Additionally, continuous publicity is being conducted at the tehsil level to alert residents about the heatwave. The general public is being made aware of the dos and don’ts to protect themselves from the heatwave and stay safe. Residents are being informed through newspapers, radio jingles, posters, and loudspeakers so that they not only safeguard themselves but also warn others. Additionally, special monitoring is being carried out by the department in the State’s highly-sensitive cities. In these cities, teams formed by the district administration are continuously inspecting the field,” he said.
The State also instructed all the 75 District Magistrates (DMs) to immediately share information regarding casualties due to the heatwave with the government so that compensation can be provided to the affected families within 24 hours.
The intensity of heat increased in Uttar Pradesh over the past three to four days. On May 31, the country reported roughly 40 suspected heat-related deaths, with at least 16 of them in Uttar Pradesh.
