Telangana reports 16 heatwave deaths; Govt announces Rs 4 lakh ex gratia

Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said 16 people died due to heatwave conditions across seven Telangana districts and announced Rs 4 lakh ex gratia for victims’ families. Officials were directed to intensify precautionary measures as severe heatwave conditions are expected till May 26.

Hyderabad: Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said 16 deaths were reported from seven districts due to heatwave in the State and announced an exgratia of Rs. 4 lakh each to the families of the deceased persons.

Of the16 deaths, four were reported from Jayashankar Bhupalpally, three each in Warangal Urban, Karimnagar, and Nizamabad and one each in Jogulamba Gadwal, Rangareddy, and Suryapet districts, he said.

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The Minister convened an emergency review meeting with senior officials at the Secretariat here on Saturday.

As per the Meteorological Department latest report, intense heat, extreme temperatures, and heatwaves were expected to persist until May 26.

These conditions would prevail in Karimnagar, Peddapalli, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Mulugu, Khammam, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Mahabubnagar, Hyderabad, and Rangareddy districts, he said.

The Minister wanted the Collectors of these districts to remain alert and implement special precautionary measures.

“The intensity of the summer heat is reaching unprecedented levels. The severity of heatwaves has intensified due to the impact of a strong El Nino phenomenon,” Srinivas Reddy said.

The government machinery should remain highly vigilant. There should be no negligence in protection of human lives, he said to officials.

They were instructed to identify mandals and villages recording the highest temperatures and to issue advance warnings to the residents in those areas.

Officials were ordered to ensure the availability of cool drinking water, buttermilk, and ORS packets at bus stands, markets, major thoroughfares, and other areas with high concentrations of laborers.

The Minister appealed to the public, especially the elderly, pregnant women, young children, and those suffering from health ailments to refrain from venturing outdoors between 11 AM and 4 PM, except in cases of absolute emergency.