THE KILLER
HEAT WAVE
In the last
few days as the ‘Heat Wave’ has escalated in the entire country and more
particularly in the two Telugu speaking states; Telangana and Andhra Pradesh,
it has killed 470 people. Visakhapatnam
recorded its highest temperature of last three years at 45 degree at the
Airport, Vijaywada was 46 degree and the highest was at Tuni in East Godavri
district at 47.2 degrees. The figures have been rising since last one week and
we all register these in a routine way like cricket score! Similar to our response to farmers’ suicide.
Most of those killed are labourers; what could they do? Had they sat at home
they and their children would have died of starvation.
The time is
not to issue advisory to the poor labourers but of effective action and
prevention. The working hours of the people working in open roads and fields
should be regulated and reduced, they should be monetarily compensated for few
days. We know from past that at this time the heat wave rises and therefore for
few days we could lay off the workers with their daily allowance intact. Cannot
the State/individuals suffer a
minor financial loss? Since those who have died are from the
unorganised sector they do not have any ‘collective bargaining’ power as the
Industrial workers have. Is not each individual life is accountable? Are we
doing ‘Aadhar’ and various ‘Yojnas’ for paper action only?
As citizens
too we are insensitive; earlier during our student days in Allahabad ( it
recorded the highest temperature in North India at 47.7 degrees on Sunday ) there
were watering points ( piau ) on the
road side as a charitable venture during the entire summer season , water was
kept in large clay containers and served personally. The Bisleri bottle has killed that culture. Why
cannot we bring in a legislation similar to that in England for cold weather
condition wherein it is the duty of the
State to protect people from extreme weather?
The citizens come out in large numbers during the state wide call to plant trees and during ‘Swach Bharat’ programme. They should reach out to poor on their own in such times. You do not need extra ordinary arrangements to save people from heat stroke. Bring them to shade, give water.
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