Amaravati, March 24 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday directed officials to ensure that no region in the state faces a drinking water shortage this summer.

Naidu reviewed the summer preparedness plan with officials from multiple departments and stressed the need for proactive measures to mitigate the impact of heat waves.

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"The government must take all necessary steps to prevent water scarcity and heat wave-related deaths," the CM said in a press release.

He instructed disaster management officials to issue timely mobile alerts on heat waves and directed authorities to set up hydration centers, such as buttermilk distribution stalls, in high-risk areas.

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The government will construct 12,138 water ponds at Rs 35 crore to support livestock in drought-prone regions and implement a water bell system in schools, he said.

Naidu noted that forest fires will be monitored using drones, with strict action taken against negligence.

Further, he stated that Rs 39 crore has been sanctioned to address municipal water shortages through farm pond construction and reservoir desilting under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

Naidu ordered that labourers' working hours be limited from 6 am to 11 am to avoid exposure to extreme heat and called for the distribution of Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS) packets to workers and travellers.

Similarly, he noted that municipal employees should not be assigned outdoor tasks between 12 and 4 pm.

He also instructed hospitals to ensure preparedness for heatstroke cases.

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