Harsh summer and water shortage; government and people should work together

The state is going through a severe summer. In some districts, the temperature has risen to 39 degrees. Shortage of drinking water is worsening in many cities as part of this. Water levels in rivers and wells are falling. If things continue in this way, there will be a situation where drinking water will not be available at all. The health department has already warned people to be careful as there may be many health problems like sunburn and heatstroke, but this is not enough. Steps should also be taken to open special centres at taluk and district hospitals to provide adequate treatment to those suffering from heatstroke and other health problems due to extreme summer.

The labour department has regulated the working hours of construction workers working in open spaces. This is not followed in many places. Moreover, in many places, workers are working without taking adequate safety measures. Inspections on the part of the government are also required to ensure compliance with the directives. Cutting down all the roadside trees in Kerala in connection with the construction of the national highway has doubled the impact of summer. Roads cannot be developed without cutting trees. Some zones with shades could have been prepared along the road at multiple locations. The sight of people waiting for the bus in the scorching sun on the national highway is heartbreaking.

Development is not just about increasing the number of roads, bridges and other infrastructure. Measures to prevent the groundwater level from falling should also be part of the development. Ponds, wells and water bodies should be maintained by spending money. Bengaluru city is experiencing the consequences of unilateral development without giving enough importance to such things. Even the use of tap water for watering plants is prohibited there. This may also affect other cities that are going for massive development.

Thiruvananthapuram city in Kerala is facing a severe water shortage. In the meantime, drinking water pipes bursting in many places while digging pits as part of the works carried out by various departments has become a regular incident. Taking days to fix this is making people suffer. More water tanks should be installed in cities where water scarcity is acute. The corporation has informed that 5000 and 3000 liter tanks will be installed at 11 places in Thiruvananthapuram. People should also take care to wear cotton clothes and drink boiled water frequently even if they are not thirsty. Similarly, precautions should be taken by those running industrial establishments to avoid the possibility of fire. The government and the people should start working together to face the problems of this summer.