As Gujarat grapples with a severe heatwave, an organisation advocating for construction workers’ rights has written to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, urging him to declare the heatwave a state-specific disaster and implement relief measures, including an ex gratia payment of ₹4 lakh to families of those who die due to heat-related illnesses.
The organisation, Bandhkam Mazdoor Sangathan (BMS), submitted a memorandum in this regard to the CM’s office with a list of demands on Tuesday.
Highlighting the danger heat-wave conditionspose, the BMS memorandum, submitted by its general secretary Vipul Pandya, stated, “With the increasing frequency and intensity of heatwaves due to climate change, Gujarat is now facing life-threatening conditions such as heat stress, dehydration, heat exhaustion and even fatal heat stroke.”
It further said, “In May 2024, Gujarat witnessed one of its longest and most intense heatwaves in recent memory, with temperatures in Ahmedabad ranging between 44 degree Celsius and 46 degree Celsius over several consecutive days. While advisories were issued, field assessments and on-ground enforcement reveal a glaring gap in protective measures.”
The BMS has put forward several demands, including declaring heatwaves as a state-specific disaster under the Disaster Management Act, providing 4 lakh exgratia to families of those who die from heat related illnesses, and mandating rest breaks for all outdoor workers between 12 pm and 4 pm on heatwave days.