Following the heatwave that killed 184 people in different parts of Bihar, the Gaya district’s administration has imposed Section 144 of Indian Penal Code to ban gathering of 5 or more people at a public place, reported India Today. The law, which is used to control law and order, has been invoked so that people avoid going out of their houses in the simmering heat.

Authorities in Gaya have advised people to remain indoors from 11 am to 4 pm and have put a blanket ban on all the construction work between 11 am and 4 pm. As per the District Magistrate order, all government schools in Bihar will remain closed till June 22 due to the heat.

“This measure is part of step to alert people not to go outside in the sun and protect labourers engaged in construction,” Gaya District Magistrate Abhishek Kumar Singh told The Weather Channel.

Deaths In Bihar

According to The Weather Channel, 74 people have died in the last two days i.e., on June 16 and 17. Due to the deathly heat wave, 45 people reportedly died on Saturday, whereas another 29 people succumbed to the heatwave on Sunday.

Across many places in Bihar, the maximum temperature was marked above 5.1°C higher than the normal maximum, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The worst affected districts in Bihar are Aurangabad, Nawada, and Gaya; where the death toll rose to 76 on Monday. As of now, the death toll in the district of Aurangabad is the highest at 33, followed by Gaya which is 32, and Nawada, where 12 people have died. In the districts, nearly 150 people had been admitted in government-run hospitals and dozens are being treated at primary health centres, said Vijay Kumar, Additional Health Director of Magadh range.

Abhishek Singh, the District Magistrate (Gaya), has advised the residents to take adequate precaution against the soaring high temperature. He has asked the residents to avoid getting exposed under the direct sun for a longer period of time.

Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar has expressed grief over deaths and declared a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the bereaved family. He has also instructed all the district magistrate to take appropriate steps to prevent the rising number of deaths.

Also Read: Bihar: Heatwave Claims 17 Lives On Sunday, Taking The Death Toll To 61