Fri May 02 13:12:32 UTC 2025: ## Telangana Implements Heatwave Action Plan Amidst Rising Temperatures
**Hyderabad, May 2, 2025** – Telangana is taking stringent measures to combat a severe heatwave affecting 588 of its 612 mandals. Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy announced a comprehensive action plan following a meeting with officials from 12 departments on Friday. The plan includes directives for industries to implement worker rotation systems with mandatory rest periods to mitigate the impact of extreme heat on employees. The Labour department will focus on providing essential resources such as ORS, water, shelter, and rest areas, particularly for vulnerable groups like solid waste management workers.
The state government has declared heatwaves, sunstrokes, and sunburns as a “State-Specific Disaster” and increased ex gratia payments for heatwave victims’ families from ₹50,000 to ₹4 lakh. The Health department is tasked with conducting fire safety audits in hospitals, distributing ORS packets, and disseminating public awareness campaigns on heat safety precautions.
These measures follow a recent appeal from the Union Labour Minister urging employers to take preventative steps and a similar call from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) urging 11 states, including Telangana, to implement pre-emptive measures to protect vulnerable populations.
First Piper 