JAIPUR, Rajasthan: The Rajasthan High Court has urged the Central government to declare a national emergency as 54 people have lost their lives so far due to the ongoing heatwave condition.
The High Court said that the authorities had failed to take appropriate steps to protect the public from the heat.
The court directed the state government to set up compensation funds for relatives of any person who dies as a result of heat ailments.
Ruling on the current heatwave condition, it also stated that India should begin declaring heatwave events as “national calamities.” “This would allow the mobilisation of emergency relief in a similar manner to floods, cyclones, and natural disasters”, HC stated.