Ghaziabad: The Ghaziabad District Disaster Management Authority has unveiled a comprehensive district-wide heatwave preparedness and relief action plan. Nodal officers have been appointed at district, tehsil, block, and urban local body levels to oversee prevention and relief measures as temperatures rise.
The order was issued by District Magistrate Ravindra Mander following directives from the Uttar Pradesh government to strengthen preparedness against heatwave conditions and minimize loss of life and health risks during the summer season.
Health Infrastructure and Emergency Services
All hospitals, primary health centers (PHCs), and community health centers (CHCs) have been directed to maintain adequate stocks of oral rehydration salts (ORS), medicines, and fluids. Emergency services, including 108 and 102 ambulances, must remain operational round the clock. Officials have also been instructed to ensure uninterrupted power supply at hospitals and help centers.
Awareness Campaigns and Community Outreach
The health department is tasked with conducting awareness campaigns on heatstroke prevention and training grassroots workers to spread awareness in both urban and rural areas. The information technology department will carry out campaigns through newspapers and social media platforms regarding precautions during heatwave conditions.
Transport and Public Facilities
The transport department has been directed to ensure shaded waiting areas and drinking water facilities at bus stands and public places for commuters during peak summer conditions.
Livestock Protection
The animal husbandry department will implement a heatwave action plan for livestock protection, including vaccination drives, medicine stockpiling, and awareness among cattle rearers and gaushala operators.
Labour Welfare
The labour department has been instructed to organize awareness camps for industrial workers and laborers, arrange drinking water and shade at worksites, and modify work timings to avoid exposure during peak afternoon hours between noon and 3 PM. District Magistrate Mander emphasized that arrangements for laborers and daily wage workers are a priority as they are more vulnerable during heatwave conditions.
Fire Safety
The fire department has been ordered to keep all fire stations and sub-centers operational 24/7 with adequate resources, conduct fire safety inspections at markets, hospitals, schools, and warehouses, and publicize toll-free emergency numbers.
Urban and Rural Measures
Urban local bodies will establish cooling centers at temples, malls, and public buildings, set up drinking water kiosks at marketplaces and public places, ensure regular water supply and leakage repair, carry out tree plantation drives, and create shaded areas in parks. The panchayati raj department will arrange water tankers and drinking water facilities in rural areas, convert panchayat buildings and community centers into cooling centers, and regularly monitor ponds and water sources.
Power and Agriculture
The electricity department will ensure uninterrupted power supply and immediate restoration in areas facing outages. The agriculture department will issue advisories for farmers regarding crop protection and heatwave management based on weather forecasts. The DM stated that all departments have been asked to remain fully prepared for any emergency arising out of heatwave conditions.
Nodal Officer Appointments
According to the order, the additional municipal commissioner of Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation has been appointed nodal officer for urban civic areas, while the chief medical officer will supervise district-level health preparedness. Sub-divisional magistrates of Ghaziabad, Modinagar, and Loni have been designated as nodal officers at the tehsil level. Block development officers of Rajapur, Bhojpur, Muradnagar, and Loni will oversee arrangements in rural blocks. Executive officers of municipal councils and nagar panchayats will supervise local body-level implementation.
