Bhubaneswar:  With mercury breaching the 40 degrees Celsius mark in Odisha capital, a social organisation has come up with a unique idea to provide succour to people from blistering heat.

Jai Odisha, a city-based voluntary organisation, today launched ‘Jeevandhara’, a kiosk, here to provide watermelons to commuters in the sweltering summer.

The one-of-its-kind kiosk was inaugurated at Saheed Nagar Durga Puja Mandap in the city and people can get a juicy wedge of the hydrating fruit from 12 pm to 3 pm for 15 days starting from today.

“During summer everyone is at risk due to the heat. So we have decided to give watermelon slices to people for free for the next 15 days. We hope the watermelon will provide people a little relief during the sizzling summer,” said Jai Odisha Founder Rudra Narayan Samantaray.

He urged people to take notice of the initiative and replicate the model in other parts of the city.

On the first day, more than hundreds of people including college-goers, working professionals and senior citizens gorged on the juicy fruit.

Notably, the heat wave-like condition prevailing across the capital city for the last few days has thrown life out of gear forcing many to stay indoors.