The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has put in place a plan to save slum dwellers from the scorching summer heat. The AMC's health department has decided to use the cool roof technique to upgrade the entire slum and make it entirely heat resistant. This technique involves the slums to be coated with white paint, while a water cooler stand would also be present. This would ensure the heat stays away and the residents get cold potable water. "Awareness is the key to preventing people from becoming victims of heat-related disorders. Since 2013, AMC has been running an extensive awareness campaign. As slum pockets are more vulnerable to vagaries of nature, we are focussing on giving them our support," said Dr Bhavin Solanki, medical officer in-charge of health at the AMC. "We are in the process of identifying the slums to make it iconic. The civic body, along with external support from communities, will do this. The slum would have enough plantation, roof coating and water facilities," added Dr Solanki. Apart from this, the AMC would also continue its programme of distributing ORS packets in the slums during the summer months. Mahila Housing Trust, a local NGO, is helping the slum dwellers along with the civic body. In localities like Odhav and Khodiyarnagar, they have already started this initiative. "We are helping people by protecting them from the heat. To do this, we have identified a few slum dwellers or shanties. We will change the slanted roof and make it vertical, by using the same material and adding some thermocol sheets," said Bharti Bhonsale, of the Mahila Housing Trust. "We are going to apply white paint coating which absorbs the heat. We will then distribute ready grass lawn to these slum dwellers," Bhonsale added. HOW TO STAY COOL

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