New Delhi: With temperatures soaring across the capital, chief minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday launched an on-ground heat relief response by flagging off 13 mobile heat relief units from the Delhi Secretariat. The initiative aims to help residents cope with heat-related challenges such as dehydration and heatstroke during peak summer months.The mobile units — vans equipped with heat relief essentials — will operate in high-footfall and heat-prone areas, providing immediate hydration, basic medical assistance and protective gear. The CM also released the govt’s Heat Action Plan 2026, a booklet on strategies to mitigate the impact of rising temperatures and protect vulnerable populations.“Through these units, cool and clean drinking water will be provided, ORS packets distributed, first-aid facilities offered and cotton gamchhas and caps given to protect people from heatstroke and intense sunlight,” Gupta said. She added that in emergencies, the services of the mobile units can be accessed through the 112 helpline.Each unit is equipped with a cold water tank of 400-500 litres, first-aid kits, ORS packets and other essential supplies. The vans will operate daily from 11 am to 6 pm in labour chowks, bus terminals, markets, slum clusters and other vulnerable locations across Delhi.To support the initiative, the govt has deployed 10 Civil Defence volunteers in each district for the next three months. Every district is expected to distribute around 1,000 ORS packets, 300 cotton towels and 200 caps daily. Eco-friendly disposable glasses and proper waste collection systems have also been arranged.Cabinet ministers Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Ravinder Indraj Singh, along with other officials, were present at the launch. “The govt’s aim is not merely to announce schemes, but to ensure relief reaches people directly on the ground. Keeping the severe summer conditions in mind, one dedicated mobile heat relief unit has been deployed in each of Delhi’s 13 districts,” the CM said.Gupta said the heat action plan was prepared with a special focus on vulnerable groups such as daily wage labourers, construction workers, street vendors, the homeless, senior citizens, women and children. Public and private institutions have been advised to halt outdoor labour between 1 pm and 4 pm, and ensure adequate rest breaks during peak heat hours.To protect schoolchildren from dehydration, the govt has introduced a ‘Water Bell System’ in schools to prompt regular water intake, while outdoor activities and assemblies during peak afternoon hours have been suspended.Hospitals and health centres across the city have also made special arrangements to handle heatstroke and dehydration cases. Over 339 health centres have been stocked with additional ORS packets, ice packs and essential medicines, and special ‘cool rooms’ have been set up. Installation of water coolers and drinking water dispensers in govt buildings has been fast-tracked.An official said the heat action plan also includes long-term measures such as awareness campaigns, expanding green cover, water conservation, urban temperature control and development of climate-resilient infrastructure, alongside sustained public outreach on heatwave safety.
