Amit Shah chairs meeting on India's flood, heatwave preparedness

Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed India's preparedness for floods and heatwaves, focusing on early warning systems. Meanwhile, Delhi announced its Heat Wave Action Plan 2026, mandating a 1-4 PM break for all outdoor labourers.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday chaired a high-level review meeting in the national capital to assess India's preparedness for possible flood situations and heatwave conditions.

During the meeting, the Home Minister undertook a comprehensive review of key disaster management strategies with a special focus on strengthening flood forecasting and early warning systems through the use of advanced technology and real-time data integration.

Officials also discussed enhancing preparedness mechanisms to effectively handle simultaneous disasters, particularly the twin challenges posed by floods and heatwaves across vulnerable regions of the country.

The meeting emphasised the importance of community awareness programmes and capacity-building initiatives aimed at improving local resilience and minimising loss of life and property during extreme weather events.

Amit Shah also reviewed the availability of essential relief materials and directed officials to ensure adequate stocks, along with robust medical preparedness arrangements to respond swiftly during emergencies.

Delhi's Heat Wave Action Plan

Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta reiterated the Heat Wave Action Plan 2026, mandating a strict hiatus for outdoor labour and deploying a massive multi-departmental cooling infrastructure across the capital.

The Chief Minister issued a stern directive on Saturday, making it clear that the health of citizens and the stability of the power grid are the government's top priorities as the city braces for record-breaking heat.

Central to the 2026 plan is a mandatory rest period for all labourers. All workers, across both private and public sectors, must be given a break from 1 PM to 4 PM to avoid the most dangerous UV exposure.

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