Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
| Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT
With the intensity of heat going up even before the onset of summer due to the effect of climate change and global warming, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday asked people to take all possible measures to avoid the risk of fire.
In the event of any untoward incidents like fire and other accidents, people are advised to report such incidents to the toll-free number 131 of the Fire and Rescue Services department or to the nearest fire and rescue station on time.
The Chief Minister also asked people to avoid disposing of incendiary materials carelessly in public or private places as it would likely cause fire mishaps. Similarly, the instances of burning waste in public places, and parking vehicles in places where waste would be burnt should strictly be avoided. Materials that would likely cause fire hazards near buildings should be removed.
Emphasising the need to avoid smoking in public places, Chief Minister also appealed to the people not to litter bottles containing explosive or flammable liquids or similar objects in landfills. It had also to be ensured that permanent fire-extinguishing systems in buildings were functional and that no materials were piled high enough to catch fire near the buildings, Mr. Vijayan said.
Similarly, precautions should be taken to avoid the risk of fire during and after using electrical equipment including the risk of fire from mobile phones at night. Dry grass and vegetation, which were potent enough to cause fire when the heat rose, should be cleared off from vacant fields and homesteads. Tourists were also directed to prevent forest fires and avoid danger due to forest fires while touring forest areas.
In case of any unusual smell while travelling in vehicles, the journey should be continued only after necessary inspections and precautions were taken to prevent fire mishaps in vehicles, the Chief Minister said.
