Bihar CM Nitish Kumar visits heat stroke patients in Gaya hospital, holds review meet

With the unprecedented heat wave in Bihar killing more than 100 people, most of them in the Magadh division, chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday visited the Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital (ANMMCH) in Gaya, where most of the heat stroke patients are being treated, and took stock of the situation.

The chief minister was accompanied by his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi and cabinet colleague Krishnanadan Verma.

They arrived at the hospital around 4.45pm on Thursday and went straight to the wards where the patients were admitted.

ANMMCH superintendent Dr Vijay Krishna briefed the chief minister about the heat stroke cases and arrangements made for the patients.

During the CM’S visit, the hospital was off-limits for the media.

Earlier, the chief minister was scheduled to undertake an air survey of Gaya, Nawada and Aurangabad to take stock of the drought-like situation prevailing in the region for the last fortnight, but the plan was cancelled.

After visiting the hospital, the chief minister held a review meeting in which the Magadh division commissioner, Gaya’s district magistrate, civil surgeon and ANMMCH officials participated.

ANMMCH superintendent Dr Vijay Krishna, while giving details of the heat-related deaths so far, told the chief minister that a total of 38 persons had so far died during the treatment while 44 were released after treatment.

Around 206 patients are still undergoing treatment here, the superintendent told the CM.

Soon after the departure of the chief minister, Magadh division commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pal, briefing the media, said that the CM had directed the concerned departments to find out the reasons behind the sudden escalation in heat wave, particularly in three districts.

The commissioner said that preliminary enquiry showed that the most affected areas had neither surface water nor any green cover.

About the deaths, the commissioner said that a total of 113 persons, most of them above 60 years, had died so far due to the heat wave. He said the chief minister directed officials to ensure immediate compensation of ₹4 lakh to the family of each of the deceased, including of those who were brought dead.

The commissioner further said that a separate committee of experts had been formed to find out the actual death figure due to the heat wave.