Heat wave SOPs issued to protect vulnerable groups

Nagpur: The Maharashtra govt has rolled out three comprehensive standard operating procedures (SOPs) for vulnerable groups — covering outdoor workers, heat stress management in coal mines, and promotion of heat-resilient housing — to protect citizens from rising heat wave conditions. The guidelines are aligned with the State Heat Action Plan and colour-coded alerts issued by the India Meteorological Department.The SOPs target 15 high heat-risk districts, including Nagpur, Chandrapur, Wardha, Yavatmal, Amravati, Akola, Buldhana, Washim, Gondia, Bhandara, Jalgaon, Nandurbar, Dhule, Nanded and Latur.Disaster management minister Girish Mahajan said the SOPs are aimed at reducing heat-related illnesses and deaths, particularly among informal workers, mining labourers and low-income groups.Last month, a woman labourer died of suspected heatstroke in Kamptee. The woman was taken to hospital in a dehydrated condition when the mercury crossed 40°C in March.The first SOP outlines safety measures for outdoor workers such as street vendors, construction workers, traffic police, sanitation staff, delivery personnel and auto drivers. It mandates rescheduling work hours based on IMD's colour-coded warnings, along with water breaks, ORS distribution, shaded rest areas and enhanced health support.The second SOP focuses on coal mine workers in Chandrapur, stressing heat stress management through cooling centres, proper ventilation, job rotation, hydration and training to identify heat-related illnesses, with special provisions for women workers.The third SOP highlights heat-resilient housing, detailing immediate, medium-term and long-term strategies such as reflective roofing, improved ventilation, green spaces and climate-sensitive urban planning.Principal secretary Vinita Singal said the SOPs were prepared after extensive study of rising temperatures, which have reached up to 43-45°C in parts of the state. The guidelines also emphasise interdepartmental coordination, awareness drives and annual reviews to ensure effective implementation through district authorities and local bodies.