PUNE: The Health Department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) said 40 poll staffers, along with 11 voters, were administered first aid at polling booths as they complained of dizziness, headache and fatigue. Puneites voted on Tuesday when the maximum day temperature reported by the IMD was 40.3 degrees Celsius.
Many polling stations witnessed low turnout during the afternoon when the heat was intense.
A voter, who was a patient of epilepsy, was taken to hospital by the ambulance service, which was on standby during the polling.
As the day temperature is set to rise, the PMC Health Department had provided first aid kits at the polling booths. The first aid kits were available at Parvati, Shivajinagar, Hadapsar, Kothrud, Cantonment, Vadgaon Sheri, Kasba Peth and Khadakwasla constituencies. Besides, the PMC has also published the list of medical facilities around the polling booths to address any emergency that could happen during voting.
Speaking to Sakal Times, Dr Ramchandra Hankare, Chief of the PMC Health Department said there were 2,900 operational booths and 24,000 employees were working at these booths.
“The PMC Health Department was working with full force by deploying 12 ambulances from 108 facility and their own 10 ambulances. Each ambulance was equipped with a medical officer, nursing staff and paramedical staff. The department also made provisions of employees welfare and medical aid cell, one each in all assembly constituencies,” said Dr Hankare.
Speaking to Sakal Times, Dr Sanjay Wavare, PMC Assistant Medical Officer of Health (AMOH) said a civic official, who was at a polling booth in Kothrud, had an emergency situation.
“The official had blood pressure problem. He was admitted in a city-based hospital after reporting high blood pressure. He is under good care and is in better condition now,” said Dr Wavare.
HEATWAVE-LIKE CONDITION
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), parts of Vidarbha may continue to experience a heat wave-like situation till April 27. Pune will also experience the day temperature around 40 degrees Celsius till April 29.
The highest maximum temperature reported was 45.1 degrees Celsius at Bramhapuri. The lowest minimum temperature was 19.1 degrees Celsius at Pune.
Except for cities in Konkan and Goa, other cities in the State reported day temperatures above 39.5 degrees Celsius on Tuesday.