Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has instructed various departments to take coordinated action in view of the possible heatwave in the State as temperatures continue to rise every day.
He was addressing a meeting convened here on Saturday to discuss matters related to the ongoing heatwave situation, pre-monsoon cleaning, health alertness and epidemic prevention measures, an official release said.
He said there should not be lack of vigilance on the part of departments, though temperatures come down in the evenings with frequent summer rain. Instructions and warning messages regarding the heatwave should be given at the local body level as a precautionary measure. They should ensure provision of clean drinking water in public places in cooperation with various organisations and institutions, he said.
Rest areas and clean drinking water should be provided to autorickshaw and taxi drivers, online food delivery workers, and the security staff in front of hotels and restaurants.
Employers should revise schedule for workers who are toiling in the sun and ensure necessary rest and drinking water to them. Steps should also be taken to convey heatwave warnings among tourists, the Chief Minister said.
Treatment facilities have already been set up at taluk-level hospitals for addressing health problems caused by the heatwave. Areas prone to fire should be identified in advance and necessary steps taken as a precautionary measure.
The Chief Minister also instructed the departments to clean water reservoirs in order to store water from the summer rain as much as possible.
He said wandering animals should also be protected from the heat by providing clean water. To minimise human-wildlife conflict, the availability of water within the forest and the protection of water reservoirs should be properly ensured.
Street vendors and traders should also be alerted about the heatwave and directed to nearby hotels to ensure they have access to drinking water.
He said a surveillance team of ASHA workers should be formed to give special attention to elderly people and bedridden patients inside homes.
The meeting was attended by Ministers K. Rajan, K.N. Balagopal, V. Sivankutty, Veena George, A.K. Saseendran, J. Chinchurani and R. Bindu, Chief Secretary Saradha Muraleedharan, and heads of various departments.
Published – March 29, 2025 08:41 pm IST