HYDERABAD: The State government officials seems to have bungled up number of deaths due to heatwave condition in the state this season.
On April 6, an official release put the death toll due to heatwave conditions at 66. But, on Monday, the officials backtracked and claimed that there are only 19 deaths so far.
“We have a three member committee - with district collector, local doctor and police official in each district. As per their report, the death toll is only 19 so far. The verification is still going on,” said deputy Chief Minister Md Mohamood Ali, who also holds revenue, relief and rehabilitation portfolios.
Asked how the officials are dismissing the official release which was issued just two weeks ago, Relief and Rehabilitation special commissioner Venkatrami Reddy feigned ignorance about the press release. “We are sending the toll details to Information department officials. I do not know about the issue of a press release,” Reddy said. Strangely, about five days ago, the Revenue officials had issued another release claiming that the toll was 35. According to officials, Adilabad reported seven deaths, Mahbubnagar district 11 and Rangareddy reported one death.
However, in the release issued on April 6, which was released through publicity cell, the toll was as follows: Mahbubnagar 28, Medak 11, Nizamabad 7, Karimnagar 5, Khammam 5, Warangal and Adilabad four each and Nalgonda two.
It may be mentioned here that the government was giving `50,000 to the eligible families whose kin died of sunstroke.
The deputy chief Minister said that if the temperature was 40 degrees Celsius or more it can be termed heatwave condition and if the temperature was more than 45 degrees Celsius it was called severe heatwave condition.
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