The Steel City is experiencing the hottest days of the season with the temperature soaring up to 44 degrees Celsius. The streets wear a deserted look as people choose to stay indoors during the daytime.
The scorching heat coupled with prolonged power cuts has worsened the situation here.According to the weather monitor system of the Rourkela Steel Plant, the minimum temperature recorded on Tuesday was 27 degrees Celsius and the maximum 44.1 degrees Celsius.The heat has brought with it acute power and water crises in the city. Slum dwellers are the worst suffer as the administration is busy in evicting them in the city.
Meanwhile, Basti Suraksha Samiti president Biren Senapati, Rourkela Bar Association president Ramesh Bal, Panposh unit BJP president Dhiren Senapati urged the administration and the power distribution company Wesco to ensure uninterrupted power supply and water in view of the rising temperature.Meanwhile, the district administration claimed that it has put in place all measures to address problems arising out of heat wave. State Government offices along with educational institutions have been rescheduled to morning shift from April 2. Sundargarh Collector Bhupendra Singh Poonia said all the concerned departments have been given necessary instructions to follow all dos and don’ts.
“The health administration has been asked to stay prepared to meet any contingency and attend sunstroke patients immediately and the Wesco has been instructed to refrain from unscheduled power disruption,” said the Collector adding that the labour Department is taking steps to ensure that labourers are not engaged in outdoor work from 11 am to 3.30 pm.