New Delhi, May 25 -- As Delhi continues to reel under intense heatwave conditions, the Rekha Gupta government has launched an extensive citywide relief campaign through Mobile Heat Relief Units and specially created Cooling Zones, reaching lakhs of vulnerable residents including labourers, rickshaw pullers and commuters. With temperatures soaring across the national capital, the initiative is emerging as a crucial lifeline for people struggling to cope with the harsh summer conditions.
According to the Chief Minister's Office, relief measures are being carried out across all 13 districts under the supervision of the Revenue Department. Between May 6 and May 23, nearly 2.65 lakh people received assistance through Mobile Heat Relief Units deployed across Delhi.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the government was working "with full sensitivity" to ensure that no citizen suffers due to extreme weather conditions. "The objective of the Delhi Government is not only to run the administration but also to ensure the safety and convenience of every citizen. During this period of extreme heat, the government is working on the ground with full sensitivity so that no person suffers because of the heat," she said.
As part of the campaign, around 1,13,900 litres of cold drinking water have been distributed across the city. More than one lakh ORS packets were provided to help people avoid dehydration and heatstroke, while 44,646 gamchas and 30,864 caps were distributed for protection from direct sunlight. The government said districts including North-East, East, South-West and New Delhi witnessed significant outreach under the campaign. Authorities are also changing the locations of Mobile Heat Relief Units daily to cover crowded and high-need areas more effectively. The campaign will continue till July.
Alongside the mobile units, the government has also established 14 Cooling Zones across several districts. Each Cooling Zone has seating capacity for 100 people and is equipped with cold drinking water, desert coolers, high-speed fans, ORS packets, caps, gamchas and first-aid kits. Ten Civil Defence volunteers have been deployed at every location.
Highlighting the importance of the initiative, Rekha Gupta said, "In a metropolitan city like Delhi, where even a glass of cold water is often not easily available to people, these initiatives launched by the government are providing real relief."
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.