Heatwave advisory for poll panel

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

election season, the government has sent advisories to the Election Commission (EC) for safeguarding against heatwave to reduce fatalities and illness.

The country is expected to experience extreme weather difficulties in the form of increased number of heatwaves during the next three months, said Kiren Rijiju, minister of earth sciences, which operates IMD.

During the general election there will be an increase in outdoor activity such as election rallies, meetings and campaigns, which could heighten public vulnerability to heatwaves, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) which has sent advisories to the EC.

«It is time to prepare as there are projections for extreme heatwave during the next three months as nearly a billion people will cast their vote,» the minister said, adding that the government has already chalked out a heatwave management plan.

The NDMA is also using mass media such as television, radio and social media to spread awareness about heatwave and how to reduce its impact.