Bhubaneswar, March 22 -- The Odisha government has stepped up preparations to tackle the summer heat, directing officials across departments to ensure an uninterrupted supply of drinking water and electricity throughout the season.

The directive was issued by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari during a high-level review meeting on heatwave preparedness. The meeting was attended by district collectors, municipal commissioners, revenue divisional commissioners, and senior officials from multiple departments.

Officials said the government has prioritised public awareness to minimise heat-related illnesses and fatalities. Arrangements have already been made to provide drinking water at key public locations such as market...