Bhubaneswar: Odisha government has issued a standard operating procedure (SoP) for heat wave management in all colleges and universities across the state as the IMD has predicted a harsh summer ahead.
The directive has been issued to ensure preparedness and take precautionary measures to mitigate heat wave conditions and safeguard the health and well-being of students, faculty and staffers, a statement issued by the Higher Education Department said Monday.
According to the SoP, colleges and universities have been advised to conduct or reschedule classes, internal assessments and examinations during morning hours, as far as practicable, to avoid exposure of students to peak heat conditions.
Outdoor academic, sports and co-curricular activities have been restricted during peak afternoon hours. Where unavoidable, such activities must be conducted with adequate safeguards and preferably during relatively cooler periods of the day, it said.
All higher education institutions have been directed to ensure the uninterrupted availability of safe and potable drinking water at multiple points within campuses. Adequate stocks of oral rehydration salts (ORS) must be maintained and made readily accessible in classrooms, hostels, common areas and examination centres.
The SoP also mandated inspection and repair of tube wells, hand pumps and drinking water facilities to prevent disruption in water supply during the summer months.
Colleges and universities have also been instructed to keep basic first aid facilities ready to address heat-related discomfort, dehydration, dizziness and other medical exigencies. Personnel responsible must be identified to provide immediate assistance in such situations.
Heads of institutions have also been asked to sensitise students, faculty and staffers about heat wave precautionary measures, including the importance of adequate hydration, recognition of early symptoms of heat exhaustion and the dos and don’ts during extreme heat conditions. Parents and guardians may also be advised to ensure that students carry drinking water while attending classes and examinations.
The letter in this regard has been issued to all state public and private universities and all degree colleges operating under the Higher Education Department for strict compliance.
The IMD predicted that the mercury is expected to shoot up and the day temperature is expected to hover around 36 to 38 degrees Celsius in interior districts and 34 to 36 degrees Celsius in the rest of the state from March 6 to 12.
PTI
