Bhubaneswar: With the temperature rising steadily across Odisha, Special Relief Commissioner Satyabrata Sahu on Monday directed the District Collectors and Engineering Departments not to engage labourers between 11 am and 3 pm (peak hours) as part of measures to combat heatwave conditions.
Also, the Commissioner warned the concerned officers to face action if there would be any deviation of instructions.
“It has come to the notice of the Government that labourers/workmen are still working in the peak hours in some districts which has been restricted earlier and the working time has been rescheduled. It is strictly prohibited to work by the labourers/workmen during the peak hours from 11 am to 3 pm during summer”, read the letter issued by the Special Relief Commissioner to the District Collectors.
The letter further mentions, “If there would be any deviation of the instructions, concerned officers shall be personally held responsible and action shall be initiated as per the relevant Sections of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.”
Earlier, SRC Satyabrata Sahu in a letter to district collectors told them to take proactive measures ahead of the elections.
Keeping Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly elections in mind, the SRC had earlier asked district collectors to prepare contingency plans and precautionary measures to deal with heatwave-like conditions during the polls.
Notably, the Election Commission of India has announced four phases of polling in Odisha on May 13, 20, 25 and June 1 for the simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly.
