Finance
The Odisha government has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to improve the state’s preparedness and reaction procedures to heatwave conditions, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari announced on Saturday.
Pujari told the media that the SOP aims to ensure coordinated inter-departmental action while also empowering district administrations to make timely decisions depending on local temperature circumstances and ground realities.
District collectors have been given authority to implement the SOP, subject to future ratification by the state government. “Collectors have been given flexibility to respond quickly depending on the severity of heat conditions in their respective districts,” the Minister stated.
Among the planned measures, the government is considering limiting vehicular traffic in locations experiencing extreme heat between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. The proposal also calls for the establishment of roadside shelters for drivers, as well as the supply of ORS packets and drinking water to combat heat diseases.
Pujari went on to say that dedicated heatwave shelters would be created in vulnerable areas, similar to the state’s existing cyclone and flood shelters.
Emergency services, including ambulances and fire departments, have been required to respond to crisis calls within 20 minutes, he said.
He further advised that central and state public sector undertakings (PSUs), as well as industries along national roads, have decided to supply drinking water and ORS to passengers during the heat wave period.
The government is collaborating with numerous departments, including Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water, Housing & Urban Development, and district administrations, to ensure that mitigation measures are implemented effectively.
“All districts have submitted their preparedness reports, and we are fully equipped to handle the situation. Compared to previous years, Odisha is in a much stronger position to deal with heatwave conditions without major impact,” Pujari said.
