By India Today News Desk: As many as seven people died and more than 120 people suffered from heat-related health issues at the Maharashtra Bhushan award event in Navi Mumbai’s Kharghar on Sunday. People who suffered from heatstroke during the event were rushed to Tata Hospital in Kharghar for medical aid, news agency ANI reported.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also went to a hospital where close to 24 people were undergoing treatment after suffering from heatstroke. The chief minister announced that the families of the deceased would be given Rs 5 lakh and also ensured proper treatment for those who are admitted.
The event was conducted to felicitate social activist Dattatreya Narayan alias Appasaheb Dharmadhikari, who was awarded with the Maharashtra Bhushan Award. Union Home Minister Amit Shah presented the award, instituted by the Maharashtra government, to Dharmadhikari.
PACKED GROUND, NO SHED
Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis also attended the event. The event, for which people had started gathering since morning, began around 11.30 am and went on till around 1 pm. Many of them had arrived on Saturday.
The ground was packed with people and equipped with audio/video facilities for followers of Shree Sadasya (Dharmadhikari’s organisation) to witness the function. The seating arrangement for the attendees was made in the open and there was no shed, reported PTI.
Devendra Fadnavis on his Twitter wrote, “It is very unfortunate and painful that some members participating in the Maharashtra Bhushan award ceremony this morning died due to heatstroke… We share the grief of their families.”
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“A total of 123 people complained of heat-related health ailments, like dehydration during the event. They were immediately referred to the 30 medical booths set up at the venue,” a revenue department official, who was on duty at the venue, said.
A total of 30 doctors were deployed at the medical booths that had intensive care unit (ICU) facilities to treat people at the venue, added the revenue minister.
A doctor at a civic hospital in Navi Mumbai’s Vashi said that five patients were admitted there for treatment after they complained of heat-related health issues.
Meanwhile, according to the weather office, some parts of the country will see a rise in temperature by 3-5 degree Celsius over the next five days.
(With PTI, ANI inputs)
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