published by, Sanstuti Nath
Last Update: April 17th, 2023, 10:00 AM IST
Home Minister Amit Shah was addressing a huge public meeting in Khargarh on Sunday. (Twitter/Amit Shah)
Lakhs of people had reached the program organized on 306 acres of land in Kharghar area on Sunday. The nearest weather station recorded a maximum temperature of 38 degrees Celsius.
Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Ajit Pawar has demanded an inquiry into how the ‘Maharashtra Bhushan’ award function was organized in Navi Mumbai in the afternoon after at least 11 people died of heatstroke, when the temperature was Too much.
Lakhs of people had reached the program organized on 306 acres of land in Kharghar area on Sunday. The nearest weather station recorded the maximum temperature at 38 degrees Celsius.
Pawar visited MGM Hospital in Kamothe, Navi Mumbai late on Sunday night and inquired about the health of the people suffering from heat stroke there.
Speaking to reporters, he termed the incident as “most unfortunate” and said the priority is to ensure that the patients recover at the earliest.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader claimed that it was the work of the Maharashtra government. It is a well known fact that the temperature during April-May is very high. He said that these days the temperature remains around 40 degree Celsius.
“Therefore, it should be probed as to who had fixed the afternoon time for the award ceremony,” the NCP leader said.
Pawar said the ceremony could have been held in the evening and Union Home Minister Amit Shah could have taken a chopper to reach the venue.
Shah on Sunday conferred the Maharashtra Bhushan Award on spiritual leader and social reformer Appasaheb Dharmadhikari at the event.
Patients were being treated at various hospitals in and around Kharghar in Navi Mumbai, so officials could not give the exact number of those who fell ill.
The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said in a release on Sunday night, “At least 11 people have been confirmed dead due to heat stroke.”
A police official had said that some patients were discharged after recovery, while some are still admitted in hospitals and under observation.
Shinde told reporters outside a hospital in Navi Mumbai that at least 50 people have been admitted there, of whom 24 are still admitted while the rest have been discharged after first aid. He termed the deaths as “very unfortunate”.
Shinde said that a compensation of Rs 5 lakh would be given to the next of kin of the deceased.
Eight women are among the dead. Officials said that we have handed over ten bodies to their relatives.
Several followers of Shree Parivar (Dharmadhikari’s organization) had reached the venue on Friday and stayed there till the ceremony ended around 1.30 pm on Sunday.
On Sunday, some people complained of dizziness and other problems. Some even fainted at the venue. They were initially treated in makeshift medical facilities and later moved to hospitals.
Dharmadhikari has a massive following in the state due to tree plantation drives, blood donation and medical camps as well as de-addiction work in tribal areas.
read all latest india news Here
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)