Heatwave Alert: Delhi CM Launches Cooling Mission

As temperatures soar past dangerous levels, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has placed the city on high alert. Speaking on Monday, she outlined an ambitious relief programme designed to shield residents from the punishing heatwave currently gripping the capital. The strategy centres on mobile heat relief units and strategically located cooling zones that travel to the people who need them most. Gupta emphasised that the government’s priority is not merely to manage the city but to actively protect its most exposed citizens. “Our teams are working round the clock with compassion and urgency,” she stated. Locations of mobile units change daily to cover busy intersections, labour chowks, and railway stations where dehydration and heat stroke pose immediate threats. From 6 May to 23 May, relief teams served nearly 2.65 lakh individuals with 1,13,900 litres of cold water, more than one lakh ORS sachets, 44,646 gamchhas, and 30,864 protective caps. The revenue department oversees the entire operation, which is scheduled to run until July. Additional cooling shelters are being prepared in every district to provide shaded rest areas for rickshaw drivers, construction workers, and street vendors. The Chief Minister assured residents that resources will be augmented based on real-time weather data and ground feedback. By blending mobility with fixed infrastructure, the administration hopes to keep heat-related hospital admissions in check and ensure that no citizen is left without relief during this critical period.