Heat wave persists in Orissa, Naveen calls for review on plantation

Bhubaneswar, Apr 15 (UNI) Central PSUs and other industrial units in Orissa will be involved in undertaking massive plantation programmes in view of the heat wave conditions persisting in many parts of the State.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who presided over a meeting here to review the rise in temperature and the heat wave condition prevalent in many parts, directed Chief Secretary Ajit Kumar Tripathy to urgently convene a high-level meeting to take stock of the situation.

Mr Patnaik, who expressed concern over the rise in the day's temperatures in several industrial units of the state asked the Chief Secretary to convene a high-level meeting and deliberate on the steps taken by the PSUs and private industrial houses in the plantation programmes in their respective areas.

The State Revenue Secretary had been asked to monitor the heat wave condition in every two days with the district collectors and initiate appropriate action.

Several parts of Orissa had been reeling under severe heat wave condition following sudden rise in the day's temperature over the past few days throwing normal life out of gear.

Reports here said so far five people have died in Puri, Khurda and Nayagarh districts.

However, State Revenue Minister Manmohan Samal said he has ordered a joint inquiry by the Health and Revenue Department officials into the reported heat wave deaths and submit a report forthwith.

Mr Patnaik directed the officials concerned to repair all the defunct tube wells in the state within a month and dig tube wells in the water scarcity zones,both in urban and rural areas.

The meeting decided to ask Panchayat bodies to create water source for the cattle population in each village and send adequate water tankers to the water scarcity areas.

The state government has also decided to take up a second pipeline project for the residents of Berhampur town in South Orissa facing severe crisis in drinking water supply.

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