Bhubaneswar: In view of the prevailing heatwave conditions, Special Relief Commissioner, Odisha, Satyabrata Sahu on Friday directed Municipal Commissioners of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Berhampur, and Rourkela to open Jala Chhatras.
“Instances have been brought to the notice of the government t about absence of waiting rooms, drinking water facilities in some chhaks for the passengers travelling in buses/transport vehicles. The situation may aggravate during the prevailing heatwave conditions as the day time temperature is expected to increase from time to time during summer. It is, therefore, requested to take all precautionary measures in view of heatwave conditions across the Ssate by opening Jala Chhatras in conspicuous places of public gathering,” the official notification said.
The mercury had soared to 39.8 degree Celsius in Bhubaneswar by 11 am. By 2.30 pm, the mercury had soared to 43.2°C in the state capital followed by 40.8°Cat Sambalpur, 40.6°C each at Hirakud and Chandbali, 40.2°C at Jharsuguda, 39.6°C at Rourkela and 39°C at Keonjhar.
The Indian Meteorological Department has issued heatwave warning for Cuttack, Khurda, Keonjhar, Boudh, Malkangiri, Nayagarh, Angul, Balangir, Kandhamal, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj, and Jharsuguda till April 6. Warm nights are likely to prevail at one or places in Sundargarh, Balangir, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur, Malkangiri, Nayagarh, Boudh, and Dhenkanal on April 5-6.
The day temperature may witness a slight drop thereafter with thunderstorm, lightning, hail and heavy rain prediction of the state.
The SRC had earlier asked urban local bodies and panchayats to set up ‘Paniya Jala Seva Kendras’ (drinking water kiosks) at market places, bus stands and other congregation points. It had also suggested other measures like accommodating homeless and needy people at urban shelters, community and other public buildings in rural and urban areas during daytime and enough stock of lifesaving medicines, saline, ORS at dispensaries, PHCs, CHCs and sub-division/district headquarter hospitals.
