Palakkad: The Election Commission is sparing no effort to ensure a smooth polling. For the last few years, it has been campaigning intensely to increase voter participation. Now, it has even asked officials on polling duty to provide voters with suntan cream to avoid sunburn as they queue up to exercise their franchise on a hot summer day. First-aid medicine and drinking water also will be arranged at every polling booth.
The sunscreen is being supplied by the Health Department and will be delivered to the booth with the help of the Revenue Department. The drinking water is to be arranged by the Kerala Water Authority and the Revenue Department.
Special facilities for emergency treatment will be set up at taluk and district hospitals. In primary health centres (PHCs), first aid and other preliminary treatment will be given.
With the mercury levels rising steadily in Palakkad district of Kerala, preventive measures also have been launched, for which the cooperation of private hospitals has been sought.
Health dept staff seek postal vote
Employees under the Health Department who are tasked with providing emergency treatment may find it difficult to cast their franchise as they have not been accorded the facility of postal vote.
A large number of Health Department staff, including doctors, in Palakkad are enrolled in polling booths of other districts.
Another issue is the satff crunch in PHCs, many of which have only one doctor. The Health Department is working hard to provide emergency treatment while ensuring the voting rights of employees.
