Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government on Thursday announced a slew of measures to tackle the rising temperatures in the State. All educational institutions including professional colleges will remain closed till Monday, a high-level meeting of the Kerala Disaster Management Authority led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan decided. Schools should reschedule classes from 11 am to 3 pm on other days. Though most of the educational institutions are closed for the summer break, some of them are offering special classes.
Collectors across the State briefed the CM about the situation in their respective districts during the meeting. The online session was attended by high-ranking officials, including Chief Secretary Dr Venu Rajamony and KSDMA Secretary Sekhar Kuriakose.
Some of the other guidelines issued are as follows:
- Direct exposure to sunlight must be minimised from 11am to 3pm to prevent heat-related illnesses. It's crucial for workers in construction, agriculture, fisheries, and other strenuous jobs to organize work hours accordingly.
- Police, fire services, other military units, NCC, and SPC units are instructed to avoid drills and parades during the daytime.
- Workplaces with asbestos and tin sheets must remain closed during the daytime. Efforts must be taken to shift guest labourers residing in homes with such materials to relief camps.
- Fire audits must be conducted in areas prone to fire accidents like markets, buildings, waste disposal centres, etc. Hospitals and major government institutions must adhere to disaster management protocols immediately.
- Forest department guidelines must be strictly followed to avoid wildfires. Measures to protect livestock and wildlife from heatstroke must be implemented.
