Bhubaneswar: A high-level meeting on heatwave preparedness was held Tuesday at the Kharavela Bhawan conference hall, chaired by Housing & Urban Development (H&UD) Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra.
The review assessed departmental readiness and stressed strict adherence to SOPs ahead of the summer heatwave.
Director of Municipal Administration Arindam Dakua presented a comprehensive overview of heatwave SOPs, outlining key action points and preparedness measures for urban local bodies (ULBs).
Addressing senior officials virtually, Minister Mahapatra emphasised the need for proactive and coordinated action as temperatures rise, stressing urban resilience and uninterrupted delivery of essential civic services.
The minister directed all departmental heads and ULBs to strictly adhere to the prescribed SOPs, underscoring that guidelines must be followed in both letter and spirit.
Ensuring a continuous and equitable water supply was flagged as a key priority, with the minister directing WATCO and the Engineer-in-Chief (Public Health) to maintain zero disruption, especially during peak heat hours.
Municipal Commissioners and Executive Officers of municipalities and NACs were directed to implement localised heat mitigation measures, including setting up public drinking water points, creating shaded rest areas and providing cooling arrangements in high-footfall areas.
To strengthen district-level coordination, Project Directors of District Urban Development Agencies (DUDAs) were tasked with closely monitoring field implementation and ensuring prompt response to heat-related emergencies.
All ULBs were further instructed to make 24×7 control rooms fully operational, with dedicated helpline numbers widely publicised to ensure easy public access.
Reinforcing a people-centric approach, Minister Mahapatra issued a firm directive: “No one should die of sunstroke. All officials must remain alert, vigilant and responsive at all levels.”
He stressed timely intervention, community awareness and field-level vigilance to prevent any loss of life.
H&UD department Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee emphasised strict adherence to notified SOPs, calling for continuous monitoring and accountability at all administrative levels to ensure effective implementation.