NEW DELHI: As the city’s daytime temperatures cross 45 degrees Celsius the government plans special kits containing sattu, ORS, sherbet syrup, prickly heat powder, gamcha and other items for one lakh construction workers to help them cope with the intense summer heat.
The government has started the process to engage a public sector unit for the procurement of the items, packaging and distribution of the kits to nearly one lakh workers registered with the Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board.
The government said that each kit will have nine items, including 250 grams of instant-energy glucose, 1 kg of premium-quality sattu (roasted gram flour), 30 oral rehydration solution (ORS) sachets, a cotton gamcha (towel), a sunlight-protection cap, prickly heat powder, a one-litre water bottle, and 250 ml of sherbet concentrate kept in a durable utility backpack. The approximate cost of distribution of each kit is estimated to be `1,890.
The Delhi government recognises that construction workers engaged in outdoor and labour-intensive activities are particularly vulnerable to extreme summer conditions and heatwave-related occupational risks such as dehydration, heat stress, fatigue, and associated health complications. said a request for proposal (RFP) document issued by the board.
It aims to ensure timely supply and distribution of the summer kits to approximately the registered construction workers in bid to support their health, safety, and overall working conditions. Priority will be given to workers working on construction sites.
Considering workforce mobility, seasonal migration, operational feasibility, budgetary availability, and implementation timelines, a reasonable coverage ratio of approximately 25% of the active renewed worker base has been considered, it said.
The number of beneficiaries is tentative and has been estimated on the basis of the records of the board. Actual distribution may vary depending upon beneficiary availability, field verification, operational feasibility, and administrative approval among other criterion.
Meanwhile, the weather office has issued an orange alert for heatwave conditions over the coming days.