Two States told to pay relief to heat wave victims

The High Court at Hyderabad Monday asked both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments to consider paying compensation to those who died due to heat wave while working under various schemes of the governments.

The division bench comprising of Acting Chief Justice Dilip B Bhosale and Justice P Naveen Rao made this suggestion while disposing off the Public Interest Litigation petition filed by journalist Pittala Srisailam.

The bench recorded the statements made by both the governments that they will make every endeavour to minimise the heat wave deaths in their states.

The Advocate General of Andhra Pradesh Venugopal submitted to the court a detailed action taken report by AP government in this regard. He informed that 6,979 chalivendrams have been arranged across the State; 3,084 shelters have been put up at workplaces; 10,948 medical camps have been conducted and over 6 lakh ORS packets have been distributed for the needy.

He also informed about the government enforcing strictly about not allowing outside work between 12 and 3 pm. The Telangana government pleader also informed about the decision to close down the schools early due to heat wave and other such measures.

The bench took on record these statements and disposed off the petition. It may be recalled that only after this PIL was filed and the division bench took it up seriously did the two governments come out with Action Plans to prevent heat wave deaths after going through the measures undertaken by Gujarat and Odisha governments.