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 Spotlight on people ideas and stories that matter subscribe to us, we're available on t.i. plus Spotify, Apple Google podcast and all other platforms of your choice.
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