Concerned over searing heat wave in the steel city, the administration of Ghaghidiih Central Jail has taken an initiative to help inmates beat the heat. It has started distributing ‘Aamjora’ (mango drink) to its 1,400 inmates lodged in the jail as preventive measure during the heat wave.
The central jail administration has included Aamjora, a drink made of raw mango, sugar and salt in the menu of the prisoners' diet from Sunday. Though such health drink is not included in the jail manual but still in view of rising mercury the step has been taken. The drink is consider to be healthy and beat heat during summer.
"Yes we have decided to provide this health drink to the inmates as a step to save them from the sunstroke in the sweltering heat that sweep across the city," said jailer Satyendra Kumar Chowdhury.
The maximum temperature reaching 44.7 degree Celsius, the season's highest temperature, the danger of sunstroke looms especially during the afternoon. Passengers and commuters have been also been worst hit with hot winds blowing during the day. While the elderly have been staying indoors, those who are being forced to step out for official or personal work are taking adequate precautions.
Chowdhury said that there are over 1,400 prisoners of all age-group above 18 years, several of them suffering from even chronic disease like asthma, diabetic and blood pressure.
" We are concern over the health of our inmates. In the current heat condition, the inmates may get sick. As a preventive measure we are providing the health drink -- Aamjora -- is something which was possible from our end," the jailer pointed out.
He further stated that he would supply the health drink to the inmates during the period of heat wave.
Meanwhile, several inmates in the Ghaghidih Central Jail have reportedly fallen sick due to current heat condition, some of them had even been sent to MGM Medical College and Hospital emergency for treatment during the past two days.
The Tata Steel Zoological Park has also made elaborate arrangements for the animals to deal with the summer temperature. Officials of the park said that the lion's enclosure has been provided with the desert cooler and other arrangements like shower bath and 24-hour water supply to make the animals comfortable.
Alarmed by the soaring mercury, the zoo authorities are serving the cool drinks, juices and other fluids to the animals. Cool roof paints have been provided.
According to the zoo officials, when the atmospheric temperature goes up, the metabolic rate of the animals goes down. Therefore, the first sign that the animals have been gripped by the summer heat is a reduced appetite.