© GOVERNMENT OF TAMIL NADU
2024
[Regd. No. TN/CCN/467/2012-14.
[R. Dis. No. 197/2009.
[Price: Rs. 1. 60 Paise.
| TAMIL NADU GOVERNMENT GAZETTE PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY EXTRAORDINARY | ||
No. 336] CHENNAI, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2024 Purattasi 29, Kurothi, Thiruvalluvar Aandu-2055
Part II—Section 2
Notifications or Orders of interest to a Section of the public
issued by Secretariat Departments.
NOTIFICATIONS BY GOVERNMENT
REVENUE AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT
No. II(2)/REVDM/986(c)/2024.
[DISASTER MANAGEMENT – NOTIFYING HEAT WAVE AS A 'STATE SPECIFIC DISASTER' FOR PROVIDING RELIEF TO THE VICTIMS OF HEAT WAVE – INCURRING THE EXPENDITURE TOWARDS RELIEF UNDER STATE DISASTER RESPONSE FUND – ORDERS ISSUED.]
The following Government Order is Published:—
[G.O.Ms. No.419, Revenue and Disaster Management, Disaster Management Wing, D.M.III (1) Section,
15th October 2024, புரட்டாசி 29, குரோதி, திருவள்ளுவர் ஆண்டு-2055.]
Read:
1. G.O. (Ms) No.246, Revenue & Disaster Management [DM3(2)], Department, dated 03.08.2017.
2. From the Ministry of Home Affairs, (Disaster Management Division), Government of India letter No.33-03/2020-NDM-I, dated 11.07.2023.
3. G.O. (Ms) No.579, Revenue & Disaster Management [DM3(2)], Department, dated 09.12.2023.
4. Announcement made by the Hon'ble Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management on the floor of the Legislative Assembly on 24.06.2024.
5. From the Additional Chief Secretary/Commissioner of Revenue Administration Letter No. NCII(1)/0119010/2024, dated 09.07.2024.
Order : No.419, Revenue and Disaster Management, Disaster Management Wing, D.M.III (1), dated
15th October 2024.
In the letter 5th read above, the Additional Chief Secretary/Commissioner of Revenue Administration & State Relief commissioner has stated as follows :-
(i) The Hon'ble Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management has made the following announcement on the floor of the Legislative Assembly on 24.06.2024:-
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II-2 Ex. (336)—12 TAMIL NADU GOVERNMENT GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY "பருவ நிலைமாற்றம் காரணமாக தமிழ்நாட்டில் கடந்த ஏப்ரல் மற்றும் மே மாதத்தின் முதல் இரண்டு வாரத்தில் பெரும்பான்மையான இடங்களில் கடுமையான வெப்பமும், வெப்ப அலைவீச்சும் நிலவியது. வெப்ப அலையிலிருந்து பொதுமக்களை பாதுகாக்க பொது இடங்களில் தண்ணீர்பந்தல் அமைப்பது, ஓ.ஆர்.எஸ் பாக்கெட்டுகள் வழங்குவது, திறந்தவெளியில் பணியாற்றும் தொழிலாளர்களது நலன் கருதி பணி நேரத்தை மாற்றி அமைப்பது, வெப்பஅலையின் காரணமாக ஏற்படும் உடல் நலக்குறைவுக்கு சிகிச்சை அளிக்க அரசு மருத்துவமனைகளில் தனிப்பிரிவு அமைப்பது உள்ளிட்ட நடவடிக்கைகளை தமிழ்நாடு அரசு மேற்கொண்டது. எனவே, மாநில பேரிடர் நிவாரண நிதி விதிமுறைகளின்படி, வெப்ப அலை பாதிப்பிற்கு தடுப்பு நடவடிக்கைகள் எடுக்கவும், உரிய நிவாரணம் வழங்கவும் வெப்ப அலை வீச்சினை மாநிலம் சார்ந்த பேரிடராக அறிவிக்கப்படும்."
(ii) In the reference 2nd read above the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs have communicated the norms of assistance under State Disaster Response Fund wherein it has been indicated as follows:-
| D. | State Specific Disasters | |
| State specific disasters within the local context in the State, which are included in the notified list of disasters eligible for assistance from State Disaster Response Fund / National Disaster Response Fund can be met from State Disaster Response Fund within the limit of 10% of the annual fund allocation of the respective window of State Disaster Response Fund. | Expenditure is to be incurred from State Disaster Response Fund (and not from National Disaster Response Fund), as assessed by the State Executive Committee. The norm for various items will be the same as applicable to other notified natural disasters. or In these cases, the scale of relief assistance against each item for 'local disaster' shall not exceed the norms of State Disaster Response Fund. The flexibility is to be applicable only after the State has formally listed the disasters for inclusion and has notified transparent norms and guidelines with a procedure for identification of the beneficiaries for disaster relief for such local disasters' with the approval of State Executive Committee. |
(iii) In the Government Order first read above, the Government of Tamil Nadu has already notified Sea Erosion, Lightning, Thunder, Whirlwind, Gale Wind as area specific disaster for the purpose of providing relief assistance to the victims of such disasters.
(iv) In the Government Order third read above, the revised norms of assistance under State Disaster Response Fund has been adopted by Government of Tamil Nadu.
(v) During April, May 2024, many parts of Tamil Nadu have consistently recorded temperature above 40o C. The data shown below describes that heat wave management has already emerged as a problem focused attention.
| Sl. No. | Districts | Recorded Temperature Range | No. of Days |
| 1 | Chennai | 40.1oC - 41.9oC | 6 |
| 2 | Coimbatore | 40oC | 1 |
| 3 | Cuddalore | 40.1oC - 40.2oC | 2 |
| 4 | Dharmapuri | 40oC - 41.5oC | 20 |
| 5 | Erode | 40oC - 43.6oC | 31 |
| 6 | Karur | 40oC - 44oC | 26 |
| 7 | Madurai | 40oC - 42.2oC | 16 |
| 8 | Nagapattinam | 40.3oC | 1 |
| 9 | Namakkal | 40oC - 41oC | 10 |
| 10 | Salem | 40.1oC - 42.3oC | 19 |
| 11 | Thanjavur | 40oC - 41oC | 7 |
| 12 | Tirupattur | 40oC - 42oC | 21 |
| 13 | Tiruchirapalli | 40.1oC - 42.7oC | 18 |
| 14 | Vellore | 40oC - 43.7oC | 23 |
| 15 | Tiruvallur | 40oC - 42.5oC | 19 |
| 16 | Tirunelveli | 40oC - 41.5oC | 4 |
(vi) Heatwave is emerging as a major threatening phenomenon that affects the day-to-day life of elderly people, children and those who have prior illness and other medical conditions and who are engaged in the work in open environments.
(vii) Tamil Nadu has a long coastline where the humidity goes up during summer months. Within Tamil Nadu, cities like Madurai, Trichy, Vellore, Namakkal, Dindigul and Krishnagiri have barren rocky hillock which absorb and reflect heat even during nights.
(viii) The risk of heat waves are high in urban areas also. For example, urban regions are having higher population concentration, urban heat effect (due to cement / concretes, emission from vehicle and air conditioners, and others) could aggravate the heat wave conditions cause by atmospheric phenomena. Structures such as buildings, roads, and other infrastructure in urban areas absorb and re-emit the sun's heat leading to urban heat island formation due to extensive heat wave conditions.
(ix) In view of the heat wave conditions prevailed over many pockets of the State, the Government of Tamil Nadu has initiated the following actions:-
a) The Hon'ble Chief Minister held discussion with the officials of various departments on 24.4.2024 and issued instructions for the management of heat wave conditions.
b) Discussions with line departments to review the preparedness measures for heat wave management were held by the Chief Secretary to Government on 11.4.2024 and by the Additional Chief Secretary /Commissioner of Revenue Administration on 12.3.2024.
c) Heat Wave Action Plan comprising the roles and responsibilities of line departments has been issued.
d) Advisories were issued to the General Public indicating the do's& don'ts during heat wave condition.
e) More than 2000 Public Health Centres, Health Welfare Centres, Social Welfare Centres, Maternity hospitals, epidemic hospitals etc., were kept in the State and readiness for providing treatment for heat wave related illness.
f) Adequate stock of medicines and ORS packets were made available in the hospitals.
g) Re-scheduling of working hours to protect the workers outdoors.
h) Water Kiosks (Thaneer Panthals) with shelter facility were set up at 1038 places viz., 299 bus depots, 68 markets, 338 road sides and 277 other places where people gather at large and 56 peri-urban village panchayats. In addition, water kiosk facility was made at 842 Town Panchayats.
i) ORS packets were also made available at the above said water kiosks.
(x) In the absence of a notification declaring the Heat wave as the disaster, relief could not be provided to the general public who are affected due to heat wave conditions and that funds could not be provided to the line departments under State Disaster Response Fund towards various relief measures.
(xi) In view of the Heat wave condition prevailed over the State during the month of April and May, 2024 and its impact over the general public, it becomes necessary to notify heat wave as a State specific disaster in order to provide relief to the people affected due to heat wave conditions.
(xii) Hence, the Additional Chief Secretary/ Commissioner of Revenue Administration has requested the Government to notify heat wave conditions as a State specific disaster and the procedures currently followed for identification of the beneficiaries shall be adopted for heat wave also and the relief may be provided as indicated below:-
4 TAMIL NADU GOVERNMENT GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY| 1. | Gratuitous Relief | Norms of Assistance |
| a) Ex-Gratia payment to families of deceased persons. | Rs.4.00 lakh per deceased person, including those involved in the relief operations or associated in preparedness activities, subject to the certification regarding cause of death from the appropriate authority. | |
| 2. | Relief Measures | |
| a) Provision for medical care including supply of ORS packets | As per actual cost incurred, and assessed by State Executive Committee. | |
| b) Provision of drinking water in Water Kiosks. | As per actual cost, based on the assessment of need by State Executive Committee. |
(xiii) The appropriate authority shall diagnose the heat-related death based on a history of exposure to high ambient temperature and the reasonable exclusion of other causes of hyperthermia. Moreover, diagnosis shall be established from the circumstance surrounding the death, investigative reports concerning environmental temperature, and/or measured ante-mortem body temperature at the time of collapse and declaration of death due to heat wave shall be made accordingly. It shall be ensured that the data related to Heat stroke and Heat stroke deaths are reported in IHIP-NPCCHH (Integrated Health Information Platform - National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health).
2. The Additional Chief Secretary/Commissioner of Revenue Administration & State Relief Commissioner has therefore recommended the proposal to Government for placing before the State Executive Committee for its approval for notifying the heat wave condition as a State Specific Disaster for the purpose of providing relief to the victims of heat wave and for incurring the expenditure towards relief under State Disaster Response Fund within the limit of 10% of the annual allocation of respective window of State Disaster Response Fund.
3. The Government after careful consideration and based on the announcement made by the Hon'ble Minister for Revenue and Disaster management on 24.06.2024 and based on the proposal of the Additional Chief Secretary / Commissioner of Revenue Administration and based on the approval of the State Executive Committee hereby orders to notify the heat wave condition as a 'State Specific Disaster' for the purpose of providing relief to the victims of heat wave and for incurring the expenditure towards relief under State Disaster Response Fund within the limit of 10% of the annual allocation of respective window of State Disaster Response Fund and to adopt the procedures currently followed for identification of the beneficiaries for heat wave and to provide the relief as indicated below:-
| 1. | Gratuitous Relief | Norms of Assistance |
| b) Ex-Gratia payment to families of deceased persons. | Rs. 4.00 lakh per deceased person, including those involved in the relief operations or associated in preparedness activities, subject to the certification regarding cause of death from the appropriate authority. | |
| 2. | Relief Measures | |
| Provision for medical care including supply of ORS packets | As per actual cost incurred, and assessed by State Executive Committee. | |
| Provision of drinking water in Water Kiosks. | As per actual cost, based on the assessment of need by State Executive Committee. |
4. This Order issues with the concurrence of Finance Department vide E.file No.9693/DM.3(1)/2024, dated 09.10.2024.
(By Order of the Governor)
P. AMUDHA, Principal Secretary to Government. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF STATIONERY AND PRINTING, CHENNAI ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT OF TAMIL NADU