MUMBAI: The State government on Thursday directed all the 36 district and 125 sub-district hospitals and medical colleges to set up special rooms to treat patients affected by heat wave in the State, in the wake of five deaths due to sunstroke in past two days across the State.
Central and north Maharashtra were worst affected by searing heat, though a low pressure belt over the Arabian Sea lead to strong winds bringing down temperatures in coastal districts of Thane and Raigad. Wardha, Nagpur and Chandrapur recorded 43 degrees Celsius, while the sun blazed at 44.1 in Akola, the Meteorology department sources said.
Minister for public health Dr Deepak Sawant told the New Indian Express that normally these instructions for setting up special facilities to treat heat wave victims are issued in April, but due to rising temperatures the instructions have been given early. The minister said that two persons one in Aurangabad and one in Solapur have died due to heat wave in the State.
Meanwhile, minister for relief and rehabilitation Chandrakant Patil said that the government has issued advisory of “Do's” and “Dont's” for the public to follow in view of the heat wave like conditions in the State.
The sudden rise in daytime temperatures in the State and the prevailing heat wave conditions figured in the legislative council on Thursday. Raising the issue through a point of propriety, senior NCP member Hemant Takle remarked that the government was not serious about the issue.
A weather advisory issued by the Meteorology Department has forecasted a rise in normal daytime temperatures by 1 degree Celsius. It states that forecast states that the average temperatures between March to May this year are expected to be in the range of 32 degrees to 43 degrees Celsius.