Bhubaneswar: Odisha has already started feeling the summer heat with mercury soaring to 37°C in the month of February.
While there was a slight dip in the maximum and minimum temperatures over the last two days, the mercury levels are expected to rise again after 24 hours. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast 2-3°C rise in the night temperature during the next 4 days.
On Saturday, Boudh was the hottest in the state at 36.5°C, followed by Malkangiri (35.6°C), Khurda (35.5°C) and Parlakhemundi (35.2°C). The twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded 33.8°C and 31.4°C respectively.
With the temperature rising abnormally due to unusual rainfall followed by prevailing erratic climatic condition, the H&UD department has issued a detailed SOP for all ULBs with strict instructions for adhering to it.
The SOPs are as follows:
1. PHEO/ULBs are required to ensure adequate drinking water supply to all urban areas. For this purpose, water supply pipelines should be kept in proper working condition and any complaint attended within 24 hours.
2. Water Tankers should be deployed to different scarcity pockets for providing drinking water as an emergency measure. Additional number of Tankers, if required, may be arranged on hiring basis.
3. All the tubewells/hand pumps must be kept in operational condition and spare parts should be kept ready for repairing those.
4. Control roms are to be opened as usual in the PHEO/ WATCO, city level offices and managed by responsible officials to attend to the complaints received on water scarcity. The heat wave warnings issued by IMD should be tracked on regular basis and if necessary, control room of IMD/State EOC may be contacted for such information.
5. The ULBs should start opening more water kiosks at strategic places – roadsides, crossroads, public offices, bus stand, railway station, marketplaces – through Mission Shakti-SHGs/ Federations/ NGOs. Water provided in such water kiosks must be of portable quality and proper sanitation be maintained including use of long handle dispensers and change of water daily.
6. Agencies doing such work only for self-publicity and discontinuing the same after initial days should be avoided and dealt with strongly.
7. Strict enforcement of burning of municipal solid waste, garden/ tree residual be ensured on.
8. Adequate awareness may be created to keep one pot of water in front of households for stray birds and animals and changed on alternate days.
9. C & D waste from the roadside need to be cleared as per rule.
To check and arrest the flying dusts, following steps should be taken :
1. Construction agencies and households must be cautioned to cover their construction area to avoid spillage or earth/dust and sprinkle water over uncovered portion while executing the works. They should ensure safe disposal of spillage and demolition materials immediately to avoid penalty.
2. Vehicles transporting construction material like sand, bricks, cement and garbage must be fully covered with tarpaulin sheet and their speed is to be limited.
3. The earthen layer beside the road should be maintained at lower level than to metal level so that same will not come over to road again by rainwater or vehicular movements.
4. Residual fly ash generated from burnt coal/ briquettes by the roadside hotels and eateries shops are being piled up on road which is causing dust pollution and temperature rise. Use of coal or coal briquettes is to be banned in all urban areas.
5. All the water bodies in and around urban area should be rejuvenated, restored and repaired and these should be made free from pollution to make it usable and increase access to public.
6. All the Environmental Acts/Rules, NGT guidelines concerning improvement of urban area environment must be followed strictly with authorities concerned handling their respective portion of job.
