Hyderabad, Apr 15 (UNI) Declaring Sunstroke as “state-specific disaster’ the Telangana government on Tuesday issued orders to provide Rs 4 lakh ex gratia to the families of deceased persons.

The state government, having taken into consideration all the facts, has decided to declare heatwave/sunstroke as a “State Specific Disaster” henceforth for the purpose of providing relief to the families of the victims…” according to a GO issued by Special Chief Secretary to Government Arvind Kumar.

Heatwaves remain a “hidden hazard” whose impacts are under-recognised due to measurement and valuation challenges. There is under-reporting of deaths and severe impact of heat waves, especially in the vulnerable sections of the population, including women, children and the old aged, it said.

According to GO, in Telangana, during the year 2024, it was observed in Telangana that except for five districts, all the remaining 28 districts had at least 15 days of heatwave, with Nalgonda, Mancherial, Peddapalli and Jagtial having more than 30 days of heatwave.

People, especially the construction workers and daily wagers in Hyderabad, Warangal, all the Municipal Corporations, Hyderabad Urban Agglomeration and all the Urban Local Bodies are vulnerable to heat waves and sun strokes, it said.

While all the districts have prepared a district-specific heat wave action plan and have equipped vulnerable points with ORS packets and drinking water kiosks, they are issuing required advisories on dos and don’ts.

In the absence of a specific ex gratia, the state until now was providing assistance of Rs.50,000 under the Apathbandhu scheme to the family of the deceased who died due to heat wave/sunstroke.

The District Collector will ensure that the appropriate authority/authorities shall diagnose the heat-related death based on the history of exposure to high ambient temperature and the reasonable exclusion of other causes of hyperthermia, the GO added.

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