Bhubaneswar, Feb. 21: The steady rise in the mercury level and the meteorology department's prediction of a further rise have put the city administration on its toes with officials going to take measures to tackle a looming heatwave.
The state urban development department has asked the public health engineering organisation to initiate measures to tackle a heatwave condition, while the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has been asked to come up with a contingency plan.
The engineering organisation will run a control room from March 15 and complete inspection of the hand pump tube wells by the first week of April. It has also been asked to identify the places, where water scarcity is there, and put up enough number of water tankers in the stand by mode.
In another development, the civic body has decided to open a 10-bed special ward in its Municipal Hospital at Old Town to treat people hit with sunstroke. The officials have also decided to open water kiosks from mid March. The corporation will also begin to spread awareness on heatwave from April.
Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena said they were ready to tackle the heatwave condition in the city. "The contingency plan is almost ready. We will submit it to the government within a week or two. We have considered last year's horrific situation and decided to ensure all possible measures this time. The water kiosks and the ward will be specially dedicated to the people," said Jena.
The local meteorological department has predicted that the mercury will begin to rise gradually from February 25 and continue soaring in the coming days. "The summer is almost at the gateway. There will be a gradual rise in the day as well as the night temperature in the city and across the state from February 25. The temperature will rise further from mid-March," said Met director Sarat Chandra Sahu.
Last year, the city had witnessed a harsh summer with the mercury shooting above 45 degrees Celsius twice. The city recorded a highest of 45.8 degrees Celsius on April 11 and a second highest of 45.3 degrees Celsius on April 28. "There should be effort to plant trees and combat the heat rather than preparing with water kiosks and special ward," said Damana resident Jayanti Rath.