SAMBALPUR: With temperature hovering around 43 degree Celsius in Sambalpur, adequate arrangements have been made by various departments to tackle the heat wave condition in the district.
The Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) has already started setting up ‘Jala Chhatra’ (water kiosks) in the City to quench the thirst of commuters while health administration has made arrangements to deal with sunstroke cases.
Deputy Commissioner of SMC Sudhansu Kumar Bhoi said the SMC will open around 150 temporary water kiosks at strategic locations across the City this summer. The civic body will also set up water kiosks in villages which were merged in SMC area and it will be managed by block officials concerned. The SMC will allocate funds to the blocks to run water kiosks, Bhoi said.
Meanwhile, the Corporation has started cleaning and repairing defunct ‘Amrut Dhara’ (concrete structures of oozing cold water) in the City. There are 21 ‘Amrut Dharas’ which ooze cold drinking water.
Similarly, in a bid to provide special care to heatstroke patients, two air-conditioned cabins with four beds have already been opened at District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) by the Health department. This apart, ice packs, cold water facilities and ORS packets have been kept in the hospital for sunstroke patients.
Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Dr Kodanda Rao said all required medicines are available in the DHH and medical assistance will be provided to heatstroke patients immediately.
The Public Health Engineering Department (PHD) has engaged at least 28 tankers in water-starved areas in the City. Each vehicle has been assigned with the responsibility to make four trips per day to supply water.
Similarly, in order to protect the wildlife from soaring temperature, the Wild Animal Conservation Centre (WACC) here has made massive preparations. Range Officer of WACC Madan Lal Sharma said while thatched roofs fave been provide for enclosures of birds and animals, sacks and high density green nets have been hung up to protect the animals from heat wave. Steps have been taken to change the diet of birds and animals. Watermelon, sugarcane and papaya are being served to the herbivorous animals to control heat-related stress, he added.