'Too risky between 12 to 4 pm': MCD panel head urges safety of field staff amid heatwave

In a communication to the MCD Commissioner, Sharma said the period between 12 pm and 4 pm is extremely risky due to intense heat and stressed the need for precautionary measures during these hours.

Satya Sharma, the chairperson of the Standing Committee of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Monday called for special arrangements to safeguard the field staff in view of the prevailing heatwave conditions in the city. In a communication to the MCD Commissioner, Sharma said the period between 12 pm and 4 pm is extremely risky due to intense heat and stressed the need for precautionary measures during these hours. ''Field staff should be given partial rest during this period and their working hours should be reorganised, with an earlier start to the workday and a shift-based system introduced as required,'' Sharma suggested in a statement. She said that there is a need to ensure the availability of drinking water, shaded rest areas at worksites and regular breaks, along with awareness measures and primary medical facilities to prevent heatstroke. Sharma asserted that these steps would help protect the health of employees while maintaining their morale and efficiency.