In anticipation of a scorching summer, the Telangana government issued an order on Tuesday designating heatwave and sunstroke as "State-Specific Disasters." This move aims to offer relief to the families of victims, making Telangana possibly the first state in the country to take such a step.
Under the new Government Order, Rs 4 lakh ex gratia will be provided to the families of the victims.
"The state government, having taken into consideration all the above-mentioned facts, has decided to declare heatwave/sunstroke as a 'State-Specific Disaster' henceforth for the purpose of providing relief to the families of the victims," the order said.
Heatwaves remain a "hidden hazard" whose impacts are under-recognised due to challenges in measurement and valuation. There is under-reporting of deaths and severe impact of heatwaves, especially among vulnerable sections of the population including women, children, and the elderly, it said.
The GO further stated that it was observed in Telangana that, except for five districts, all the remaining 28 districts had experienced at least 15 days of heatwave.
In the absence of a specific ex gratia, the state, until now, was providing assistance of Rs 50,000 under the Apathbandhu scheme to the families of those who died due to heatwave/sunstroke.
The District Collector will ensure that the appropriate authority or authorities diagnose heat-related deaths based on a history of exposure to high ambient temperatures and the reasonable exclusion of other causes of hyperthermia, the GO added.
The India Meteorological Department has informed that during April to June this year, some states-including Telangana-may witness a hot weather season and an above-normal number of heatwave days, the government order said.
Currently, all districts have district-specific heatwave action plans in place, are equipping vulnerable points with Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) packets and drinking water kiosks (chalivendrams), and are issuing advisories on dos and don'ts, it added.
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