Collector K. P. Karthikeyan addressing a meeting at Tirunelveli Collectorate on Thursday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
With the district experiencing heat waves for the past couple of weeks, Collector K. P. Karthikeyan chaired a meeting here with revenue, police and fire and rescue services department officials on Thursday regarding the precautionary measures to be taken to prevent fire accidents during this summer.
He said due precautionary measures should be ensured at firecrackers and matches manufacturing units, firecrackers stock points, firecracker shops and explosives godowns as prevailing sweltering heat would easily combust these materials to trigger major fire accidents.
The Collector exhorted the officials concerned to inspect these places under their jurisdiction to ascertain if the precautionary measures stipulated by the government had been put in place or not.
“Any violations found during the inspections should be viewed seriously and those who flout the norms should be booked immediately,” he said.
Superintendent of Police N. Silambarasan, District Revenue Officer M. Suganya, Sub-Collector, Cheranmahadevi, Arpit Jain, Revenue Divisional Officer, Tirunelveli, Kanna Karuppaiah, District Fire Officer Vinodh, Deputy Director of Public Health P. Sivakumar and tahsildars participated in the meeting.
In a statement, the Collector appealed to the public to avoid unnecessary travels or outdoor activities between noon and 3 p.m. and those who had to go out should wear cotton attire, carry umbrellas, goggles, ORS, buttermilk, lemon juice etc. to protect themselves from heat wave. If the children get exposed to hot sun, they should be given complete ‘towel bath’ with cold water or they should take bath in cold water.
The Collector also appealed to the public to call 104 for clarifying doubts on heat wave, its adverse effects and the steps to be taken to assuage these ill-effects.