PANAJI
Heatwave conditions are likely to prevail over parts of Konkan and Goa until Saturday, according to the latest update from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday.
Heatwave is a condition of air temperature that becomes fatal to the human body when exposed. It is defined based on temperature thresholds over a region in terms of actual temperature or its departure from normal. The heatwave is considered if the maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius or more for plains and at least 30 degrees Celsius or more for Hilly regions.
IMD has advised people to avoid heat exposure, wear lightweight, light-coloured, loose, cotton clothes, cover heads, and use a cloth, hat, or umbrella.
Dept Missive
Keeping the warm weather in mind, the Labour Commissioner’s office has asked all departments, industries, and establishments that it be ensured that workmen, especially those working outdoors, are not affected by the heatwave conditions.
“It is necessary that the timing of work may be tweaked to avoid peak heatwave hours, especially from 12 noon to 3 pm...the working hours could be rescheduled,” it said.
In the missive, employers have also been advised to make available facilities to help the workmen tackle the heat.
Arrangements for drinking water facilities in working premises, both indoors as well as outdoors, must be made available, it said, adding that supervisory officials must be equipped with the medical history of each workman to help doctors prescribe effective treatment in case some are affected by the heatwave conditions.
“In the event any of the workers are affected by heat then the supervisory officials responsible to shift them for medical care should ensure that on arrival at the medical facility, the doctors are informed about the case history so appropriate treatment is given,” the Labour Department’s missive said.
Additionally, the department has also directed its own officers to conduct ‘health camps’ particularly in the informal sector and in settlements.
The officers have been told to conduct interactive sessions at construction sites, industrial, and commercial entities and at outdoor construction sites of the Public Works Department (PWD), Water Resources Department (WRD), Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (GSIDC), and also at private sites.
Also, all this work by the officers is to be supervised by the Assistant Labour Commissioner in their respective geographical jurisdiction and their reports are to be submitted to the respective Deputy Labour Commissioners along with photographs.
The latter will then consolidate such reports and submit them through the Deputy Director Administration (DDA) to the District Disaster Management Authority.
Meanwhile, in a separate communique, the chief engineers of the PWD and Electricity department, GSIDC managing director, the municipal administration, and the panchayat department have been asked to sensitize their engineers and contractors about precautionary measures to be taken vis-a-vis the heatwave conditions.
