From India's largest Newsroom. I'm Warren Gorge.
And this is the times of India podcast.
At least 14, people have died since they attended an award
function on the 16th of April in Navi.
Mumbai in Maharashtra. Over 100, people were admitted
to hospitals for treatment. All of them were affected by the
high temperatures during the event.
We used to hot summers but our summers are getting hotter.
Thanks to climate change for an early episode beat spoken with
dr. Delete Marvel anchor, he heads
the Indian Institute of Public Health at Gandhi nagar and is
also an expert on heat related illnesses.
He explained why even just exposure to high temperatures
for prolonged periods. Can be deadly, especially for
young children, and older people.
Increasing hate causes the body to heat up and there are natural
mechanisms of the bottom db2 whole life perspiration and we
drink, cold water or cold fluids.
Plus the circulation becomes faster so all that is natural
mechanisms but they only act and function properly, tell certain
external temperature load is there, if the temperature load
is very high, then the snake Amazon start failing and then
you start developing higher and higher temperature like you get
in fever, but it is because of the heat being absorbed from the
body. And when it goes beyond certain
level, for example, x what starts happening is many-body
systems and especially the the muscle system.
The circulatory system, Etc, start getting overloaded and you
have muscle cramps, you have circulatory failure.
Your Cinco Port is called as giddiness unconsciousness.
And at later stage is the temperature not immediately
reduced. The brain starts getting
affected, especially brain proteins.
Instead start getting coagulated is similar to a egg being void.
After sometime it permanently gets hardened.
So, if that happens then the person has either permanent
damage or may die. And The window when the brain
starts getting affected very small.
So that's why what we see is that the person becomes
unconscious and within few hours not treated.
Well, he may die. Another important factor is the
high humidity, which can prevent the body from being able to cool
itself. Adequately this combination of
heat and humidity is measured by what's called wet bulb
temperature. So even if the temperature
doesn't seem very high, the accompanying humidity can make
it deadly. No back to the award function in
Maharashtra. The dead said, the award
function, trees multiple questions.
Like why were lacks gathered for an open-air award function in
the afternoon and what were the preparations to deal with?
Medical emergencies? My colleague letter, Mr.
Reported on the incident. In 40 y plus she visited the
hospitals in Navi Mumbai where people were admitted for
treatment and also spoke with relatives of the deceased.
She started by explaining why such a big function was planned
for this year's Maharashtra bhushan award e-apis.
I have Dharma Dakari who is a known social worker in this
state. A person who carries one of the
he's known for his work because his father was also a renowned
socialist. He had done a lot of work in
terms of environment Hill, talking about the Dowry creating
some awareness among the people in health sector.
If you see has done a maxi blood donation drives to Distributing
the medical supplies in remote areas.
Connecting frequent Health check-ups in the camps in rural
areas. He's also holding some guineas
World records for organizing some largest-ever, hinge jamb.
That's why this person when he the window Barrister.
Bhushan award was announced the lakhs of people who gather to to
witness this program. The Maharashtra Busan is the
state's highest civilian award. However, the nature of the award
function isn't really set in stone.
It can be like how it was held on the 16th of April with tens
of thousands of people. Fill it to 50 acre plot in the
blazing sun, or it could have been done in the way.
It's been done in the past. I am a joke, right?
That's from when legendary singer Asha bhosle got the 2021
marechal, bhushan award in March.
This year, the function was held at night near the gabri of India
in South Mumbai. A few hundred sent in the
audience. When writer, Baba, Sai poor
Andre got the award in 2015. It was a function at Raj Bhavan
the governor's official residence in South Mumbai, but
given their madakari social stature, a bigger event was
planned. People were transported from
different parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat and madhya Pradesh for
the event reportedly around. Five crore rupees was spent on
the event by the state government.
One report said, nearly 13 crore rupees were just spent on
publicity for the event by the state government.
In an official release, the state government said, 250 water
tankers 2100 Taps for water. 69 ambulances, 350, doctors 100
nurses, over 9400, toilets of different kinds would be made
available to those who attended. This rally was, are organized in
the afternoon, the Felicitations program was scheduled between,
1:30 to 2:00 p.m. people came from all over from our estar.
Some also came we have on Saturday night as well, when the
speech was on, when the listener programmers, the temperature was
38 degrees. Footage shot by drone camera.
Showed the thousands of people sitting at the venue many with
their heads covered there. Have since been allegations that
there was no covering at the venue for the audience to ensure
that such Drone footage could be short, Union home, minister
Ahmad Shah. Deputy chief minister Devendra,
fadnavis and chief minister eknath Cindy were among those
present to give the award at the event.
India's home, minister Ahmad Shah, even marveled at the
people sitting in the audience, despite the Heat.
It's not what I meant. Meet make Road.
Roark a bag does Ramadan. Uh, ility biologist degree,
temperature kid, Jeremy. Is sub K.
Beacham A coulomb. A Better Way.
Absa be. Southern Asia, observation
Mondovi, acti Mata have been a bio.
If Kelly Echidna man Sandman or bhakti bow However, after the
function, let us is messages started circulating about dates
at the event. Let us be in a health reporter
for over a decade in Mumbai, but even she was surprised by the
message by the evening. For the messy start going viral
that you know, 78 people suffer from heat stroke.
It's quite it's quite, you know, unbelievable.
Like I had never never ever heard so far.
I've never heard this kind of incident where you know, people
are losing their life who have gathered in the rally and they
died due to heat stroke. Was quite a shocking for us.
Let us say she began calling authorities to verify whether
the message was authentic. Initially, she got few
responses, but then she learned the scale of the event.
It was so difficult to get the information, because everyone
was so tightly when I asked you, how many patients are there,
where are the bodies have been kept?
There is no answer directly and then I spoke to a couple of
doctors from in that vicinity, especially in Palmdale and
Marshy area and they have called Me.
Yes, it is true that we know there are few patients either
attendees, were there in the program.
They were brought dead in the hospital and they died due to
heat stroke and dehydration. There are not only eight people,
but there were around 150 more than 150 people have actually
suffered from dehydration. All were taken to various
hospitals in a cross Navi, Mumbai in panvel and other
areas. So at least eight people had
been brought did to the hospital and over 150 were admitted for
treatment. For dehydration that death toll
would rise in the coming days. Walking people have type-moon
1410 in our women and for our men Letter went to the hospital
where people were admitted. She says, many spoke of how they
felt ill while they were sitting in the open in the afternoon.
When I went to the hospital that night, I saw many patients, I
spoke to a couple of patients and they cite telling telling me
that, you know, it was so hot. I think in afternoon by around
1:00 or 2:00, my knee started feeling giddy.
Nice thirsty you know they were looking for water but couldn't
find water tanks near by some sudden having, you know, it's
like an uneasiness. It's somehow started having
breathing difficulties. For example, one family.
A family parents and Son all three suffer from heat stroke
heat related issues and they were taking to the hospital's
father told me that we came a day before only.
So imagine now a family, they came on Saturday afternoon to
till Sunday. They were they were in the
ground itself. Now, they were carrying water
bottle with them. But how how long the Border
will, you know, one liter bottle, how long did it will?
Last though, they were Arrangements of water times, but
it was not inside the ground. It was outside the ground in the
middle of the program. If somebody needs water, they
have to walk out and then look for water.
That's also found the morgue with the bodies of those who had
died were kept. She spoke to the son of a woman
named pushpa who had died. He told lotta that his family
and even questioned, pushpa, why she wanted to go for the event.
When she was leaving on Sunday morning, she came from, in from
calvaria, she came with the other eight woman to attend this
program, so son was telling me that they couldn't figure out in
the evening, when they came to know that there is such incident
happened beside calling to find out Or whether his mother is
alright, or where, she's but her number was switched off, then
they decided reaching out to all the hospital.
And finally been the cop said, if you can go to this more,
maybe you can identify because we have many bodies lying up in
the in the mob while leaving from house.
She said the time going to attend this program back and I
think family was also related that why you're going for this
program? But he said no, no, I want to go
because I follow this, the social activist and he's quite
good, so he was asking them to know why this happened to my
mother, you know, who is in fault?
Is anybody will going to answer me?
But obviously, nobody, nobody is there.
To answer is question. He was asking me if my mother
died which means she struggled. You know if so many people were
caught Libras medical facilities were not created so many
questions. He was asking. another person
who died was Meenakshi mystery was an anganwadi, worker mystery
would help people in rural areas, Access healthcare,
facilities, Nancy mystery son told me that my mother.
She always helped so many women for taking care of their health.
Always guiding them to go to the hospital, but when my mother
fell sick, nobody was there to help her.
So Meenakshi was prodded to the hospital.
But obviously nobody was knew that who she was.
So son told me that in the evening decide call in to the
cops and in the sticking to the hospital, they couldn't, they
couldn't. Get any information, finally, he
rushed to all these hospitals and then found out that all the
bodies were taken to in one Hospital.
Like one woman who prepared food for her entire family, and then
she decided to come to the ground was to attend this
function and she was taking talking to his son, that he will
have you and happy eating the food or not.
Let us is all of those who died after attending the event were
over, 40 years old, but many of them had absolutely no.
The major Issues that could have resulted in the deaths and the
death. Certificates said they had died
due to exposure to heat, Let's put these women were not having
any underlying underlying disease like Meenakshi was
Helen, hearty. She was, she was not having any
underlying disease like diabetes.
Complication of these nine, ten woman who died?
They all were in their 50s, very active woman.
But remember, according to official figures, they were 300
out, doctors and 69, ambulances at the venue.
How is it that people who collapse didn't get treatment in
time? It is quite strange.
When if you say 32 goods and six doctors in each Booth, which
means you know you are quite sufficient to tackle such kind
of huge crowd there 69 ambulances, which means you can
immediately rush if someone is appearing from any any problem
any health issues they can be immediately rushed to the
nearest hospital. Why are these people who died?
Why do you immediately respond was provided to them by I rather
medical the director of Health Services you know?
Know why? So many people support from such
health issues? 104 people have actually they
have taken to the hospital later on what would happen.
So there is no clear answer from the from the government side,
from the health authorities point of view why they have not
reached to to these people who have died.
Let us is that people who were at the ceremony and later
admitted to hospital said that the volunteers at the ground
were also of little help. They don't let that whether it
was medically it or even water. They were often told to wait
till the event ended because even the volunteers didn't know
what to do apart from crowd management.
Like, for example, one woman who was staying at in I'm suffering
from, I'm suffering from uneasiness.
Like, I am, I'm not feeling. Well, the person was sitting
next to her, he try to approach to the volunteers who were next
to that row politics. It Abby program is going to get
over you said because I even, I don't know.
Key. Where is the doctor sitting?
It's kind of like we were asked to do the crowd management but
nothing like they were not even providing water bottles too.
The crowd, they were not providing Medical Aid to the
crowd. They were just do anything.
We will even be don't know where to go.
So, one person there. Do you know why I was asking to
be funny? Carpe, where is the water
facilities? Can I, I want to know, see where
is, can I get the water? He was carrying water bottle
with him but it was obviously, it was empty and he was feeling
thirsty. So he was asked the others are
also asking him, you know, do you have water?
Do you have water and nobody was there to provide them water as
well? Nobody tanks was created.
That was out. Outside.
And when you ask all these question to the authorities,
they are not answering it. You properly, they're saying no
no everything was in place. We don't know what happened.
Let us is that on the existing guidelines and orange alert has
to be publicly issued if the temperature is 40 degrees
celsius, this comes with an advisory again stepping out in
the heat, but for the planning of this event, there's no
evidence that someone from the meteorological Department was
consulted. Under the guidelines issued by
the national disaster Management Authority.
The temperature above 40, degree calls for an orange alert and
advice to avoid stepping out in the afternoon.
But on Sunday, temperature was written 30, 38 °C to 30 40
degree sensor which means it was a orange alert if such program
is happening. Where large number of people are
coming. Then obviously the Traffic
Department of Health Department, the police department Buddy
comes together and talk about, you know, the management.
But whether pain is when people don't come there is no as such
protocols where you should call the weather Department, as well
to check. If there is, you know, there is
a, if there is a temperature will be on that day, it will be
the high. Should we call of the program?
There is no as such decision. Sort from the.
I am really 5 min. All those who died.
Initially needed, basic medical treatment, like, oral
rehydration, salts or ORS. With water.
When they started feeling uneasy, even once they began
deteriorating. Them was a possibility of
providing them with medical treatment to save their lives.
None of those on the stage. However, suffered from any such
problems, the stage had multiple coolers and fans to keep all
those on. It's safe from the effects of a
very hot afternoon. The deaths at the rally have
invited criticism from opposition parties in the state.
They also demanded in ink choir e.
Let us is the chief minister who was on the stage for the event.
Later returned to visit those who were in hospital.
How can this program ignition? David chief minister, he visited
to all the hospitals and we made the all the patients and the
kind of statement was issued that these people have died but
will going to compensate those who died, they will get 5 lakh
rupees as a composition. Let us is that one BJP leader.
She spoke with, after the event told her on the condition of
anonymity that the party had learnt their lesson when it came
to such events. Let us says the leader said that
they would be careful while planning other such events in
the summer. Obviously they're feeling today.
There is some kind of negligence happen in overall of of the
record when I was speaking to a senior leader come from DJ P
reset somehow this incident happened in a little setback for
us because so many people dying in one in one program, it's not
good. I mean we have learned our
lesson. Look like I said, there's really
no explanation given for why these deaths took place and how
they might have been prevented as temperatures rise in the
coming weeks across. India, the combination of heat
and humidity could prove to be deadly in other such events.
If adequate precautions are not taken, one can only hope lessons
have been learned. Today's episode was produced by
Gerard sing soon emirati and on Vijay Singh for a daily
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