While Bengaluru is reeling under a water crisis, weather conditions add to the woes of the people of Karnataka. Mercury has risen in most parts of the state. And with this, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has advised the state dwellers to take measures to protect themselves against the rising temperatures in the state.
The state is already facing drought-like conditions, in many parts of the state. Reservoir levels have dropped to multi-year lows due to lower fall. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently requested his Maharashtra counterpart Eknath Shinde to release water from Warna/Koyna Dam to the Krishna River and Bhima River to meet the needs of both humans and livestock in northern Karnataka.
Warning from the Karnataka Health Minister
The Karnataka Health Minister has asked District Health Officers to ensure hospitals have optimum amount of medicines to treat heat-related issues. Taking to social media, the minister highlighted the various health concerns such as sunstroke, migraines, and skin ailments that trouble people owing to extreme temperature.
Taking to his social media handle, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao posted on X, “The summer heat is intensifying day by day in the state, and people are struggling to cope with the excessive heat. The maximum temperature has hovered around 40 degrees for the past month, leading to a surge in hospital visits due to various heat-related issues such as sunstroke, migraines, and skin problems. Additionally, there has been a significant increase in bacterial and viral infections.”
The minister urged the general population to take precautionary measures to protect themselves from the heat while also sharing an advisory for people of the state and employers.
Water crisis in Bengaluru
The state capital, Bengaluru, is still grappling with a shortage of 500 million litres of water per day. While the current requirement for drinking water as well as commercial use in Bengaluru is 2,600 MLD, according to the state government’s assessment.