The Rajasthan High Court on Thursday asked the state government to take all possible steps to deal with patients and pay suitable amounts as compensation to the dependents of the victims who lost their lives due to the heatwave.

The court also asked the government to keep a vigil on the situation arising from the heatwave conditions.

In his order, Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand directed the BJP Government to alert the people, through SMS, FM, Radio, TV, newspapers, etc. to keep them informed about the prevalence of the extreme heat in the state.

The government is directed to bring suitable legislation to save human lives and other living beings from the pollution and consumption of altered food items.

This is the right time to take appropriate steps to save the future generation from all kinds of life-threatening diseases caused by climate change and adulteration in edible items, the HC order ruled.

Taking a cue from the high court order, the Rajasthan PCC President GS Dotasara alleged, “The BJP Government in the state is not on alert but on ‘auto mode’ that is why the court had to take suo motu cognizance of the situation and issue orders.”

Pointing out that more than 100 lives have been lost to the scorching heat, he said, the state government has completely failed to protect the people from the heatwave and manage an adequate supply of electricity and water.

He also accused the government of hiding the death toll in the heatwave.

The Congress party has been constantly demanding measures to ensure relief from the heatwave and compensation to the families of the deceased, but CM Bhajan Lal was abdicating its responsibility, he rued.

So far, the state government has acknowledged only four deaths in the current spell of blistering heatwave conditions in parts of Rajasthan.

Meanwhile, Sriganganagar has become the hottest place in the state with the temperature recorded at 48.3 degrees Celsius followed by Pilani at 47.6, Churu at 47, Phalodi at 46.8, Jaisalmer at 46, Alwar at 46, and Jaipur at 45.5 degrees Celsius.

No major respite from the blazing heatwave is in sight in the next 24 hours in the state, a weather report said here.