As heatwave continues to grapple the national capital resulting in a spike of heat related deaths, the Delhi government has directed officials to rescue the homeless from footpaths, parks and send them to shelter homes.

An order on it was issued to Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) by Delhi Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Wednesday. With the summer season at its peak in Delhi and various advisories issued by concerned government departments, it has been directed to carry out rescue drives in Delhi.

Delhi's Health Minister also inspected Madan Mohan Malviya Hospital to assess the patients' conditions and the hospital's treatment facilities. While interacting with doctors, he stressed the importance of preventive measures against heat-related illnesses and directed them to ensure the availability of all necessary amenities.

Additionally, he evaluated the hospital's provisions for medicines, water, electricity, and air cooling systems and urged the public to take precautions to mitigate the effects of the severe heat.

“All the medicines, injections, ice packs etc. are available in sufficient quantities for heat stroke patients in the hospital. Along with this, adequate arrangements have also been made in the hospital to keep the heat stroke patients cool,” the Delhi Health Minister added.

According to the order, the rescue drive will be carried out in order to tackle the ongoing extreme summer situation as a part of a heatwave action plan and rescue homeless people sleeping on footpaths, open spaces, parks, etc. by providing suitable accommodation in the shelter homes of DUSIB.

“We have written a letter to the Delhi Police Commissioner in this regard yesterday and appealed to him that if the Delhi Police personnel who patrol at night see any such sick person on the road, then the Delhi Police personnel should take that person to the hospital or inform our ambulance service by calling so that that person can be taken to the hospital and treated immediately,” he said.

According to the order, the rescue drive will be carried out in order to tackle the ongoing extreme summer situation as a part of heatwave action plan and rescue homeless people sleeping on footpaths, open spaces, parks, etc. By providing suitable accommodation in the shelter homes of DUSIB.

"Therefore, all shelter management agencies (SMAs) are hereby directed to form the rescue teams and start the rescue drive in their jurisdiction/cluster from today itself. The rescue drive will be carried out from 12 pm to 12 am every day during this summer season and subsequently, the report of the previous day's rescue drive shall be submitted by 11 am next day positively," the order read.

Appropriate medical assistance to people in distress due to the heat should be prioritised and Centralised Accident and Trauma Services (CATS) ambulances can also be used to send sick persons to hospital, it said, adding that a report on the drive should be sent daily and any laxity on it will be viewed seriously.

“To help such patients, the Delhi Health Ministry has issued instructions to CATs Ambulance Services that five ambulances each should be arranged in 11 different districts of Delhi, which will immediately take such patients suffering from heat stroke to the hospitals. Special care should be taken around night shelters and if any such patient is seen, then immediately take him to the hospital,” he added.