After sunstroke deaths, Maha govt bans outdoor events between 12-5 pm

The Eknath Shinde government in Mahrashtra, which has come under attack following the 13 deaths in a Navi Mumbai event due to heatwave, has banned outdoor events between 12 pm to 5 pm. The ban will be applicable till the heatwave situation returns to normalcy in the State.

The State government had organised an event on Sunday to present the Maharashtra Bhushan Award to social activist Dattatreya Narayan alias Appasaheb Dharmadhikari, in Navi Mumbai. The event was held between 11.30 and 1 pm in an open ground in Kharghar area in Raigad district and was reportedly attended by 8-10 lakh people.

On the said day, the nearest weather station to the spot of the event recorded a maximum temperature of 38 degrees Celsius. People who stood directly under the sun complained of heat-related health ailments, like dehydration during the event. Later, 13 people died of sunstroke.

"The followers of Dharmadhikari were sitting in the open ground for hours since Sunday morning and many might have not drunk sufficient water thinking they might lose their place offering a better view of the ceremony," PTI quoted as official as saying.

Once the event got over, people rushed towards tankers to drink water but the water had become too hot to drink due to heat. "It seems many people couldn't drink adequate water immediately which might have caused dehydration," the official added.

When the State government came under attack for failing to make adequate arrangements, it sought to clarify that the timing of the event was suggested by Dharmadhikari himself. "Appasaheb had given us the timing and the event was planned accordingly. Politics should not be brought into everything," State Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said on Monday.

Meanwhile, the State government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of each victim.