New Delhi:Amid the scorching heat being witnessed in several parts of the country during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday held a meeting with agencies concerned to understand the weather and discuss measures to mitigate any risk due to hot weather conditions during the general elections.
The meeting was convened after the weather office issued several heatwave warnings across the eastern, southern and peninsular regions, including Odisha, Telangana, Jharkhand, parts of Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and others. The voting for the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections will be held on April 26.
"Because of reports of above-normal temperatures and heatwave in certain parts of the country, the Election Commission today held a meeting with agencies concerned to understand the developing weather situation and discuss measures to mitigate any risk due to hot weather conditions during the general elections", the ECI said in a statement.
The meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, along with ECs Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, was attended by the Additional Secretary Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Head of Department, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, DG Meteorology and India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Mohapatra said the weather department was in constant touch with the poll panel and all inputs were being provided about the areas where elections were being held. "The Director General of the India Meteorological Department (DG IMD) today informed the Election Commission that there is no major concern about heatwave for phase 2 of the general elections scheduled for April 26. The weather forecast is normal for the 13 States/UTs going for polls in Phase 2", the poll body said.
To address these crucial issues, the ECI took a few decisions, including a Task Force comprising officials from the ECI, the IMD, the NDMA and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which will review the impact of heatwave and humidity, five days before each polling phase for any developments concerning and mitigatory measures, if necessary."
The poll body directed the MoHFW to issue necessary instructions to health authorities in states to prepare for and extend assistance in case of heatwave conditions affecting election operations. It will hold a separate review with State CEOs to ensure adequate arrangements at polling stations, including tents, drinking water, fans and other assured minimum facilities as per its existing advisory on March 16, 2024.
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