New Delhi: Preceding the 18th Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a cautionary directive regarding heatwaves, following a recent warning from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) indicating the likelihood of extreme temperatures and severe heatwaves spanning March to June.
The Lok Sabha elections are scheduled between April 19 and June 1, spanning seven phases. In its communication to the Chief Electoral Officers across states and Union Territories, the poll panel has enumerated guidelines provided by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) aimed at mitigating heatwave impacts and averting heatstroke-related fatalities or ailments.
The electoral authority has instructed Chief Electoral Officers to ensure that all polling stations feature distinct ingress and egress points. Furthermore, it mandates that polling booths be situated on the ground level of buildings to facilitate the elderly and differently-abled voters, with ample provision of potable water within these precincts.
“The Commission mandates the CEOs/DEOs to conduct a comprehensive assessment of AMF availability at each polling station and collaborate with state authorities to ensure their permanent provision. It also underscores the necessity for voter-friendly voting provisions. This includes the deployment of sector officers to assess polling stations/locations,” the missive from the ECI stated.
“The polling stations ought to be established on the ground floor of edifices to facilitate voting for elderly and disabled electors,” it stipulated, additionally emphasizing the provision of tap facilities for drinking water.
Regarding the provision of separate lavatories, it emphasized, “Adequate numbers of gender-segregated toilets should be provided for male and female voters, among others.”
“In the summertime, every polling team shall be equipped with Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) for personal use as well as for any voter requiring the same due to heatstroke. A pamphlet detailing ‘Dos and Don’ts’ in cases of heatstroke should be prepared and distributed to each polling team,” it elaborated.
The IMD, in its recent weather bulletin, forecasted above-average maximum temperatures for most regions of the country. From March to May, a higher-than-average number of heatwave days are expected across most parts of the nation, except for northeast India, the western Himalayan region, the southwestern peninsula, and the west coast. The IMD also anticipates above-average minimum temperatures.
The weather agency also forewarned of an escalation in heatwave occurrences nationwide, including in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, among others.
India has witnessed a consistent increase in the intensity and frequency of heatwaves over the past few years, impacting not only public health but also Rabi crops. The severity of this summer is projected to be exacerbated by the influence of El-Nino, a global climate phenomenon characterized by Pacific Ocean equatorial warming.