Too hot! States told to take care of women workers
NEW DELHI: In its first heat-related advisory for informal workers, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has instructed all state governments to implement immediate protective measures for them, particularly women, during the ongoing heat wave affecting Indian cities.
This marks the first time the government has identified heat as a significant health concern for informal workers and has acknowledged the necessity for timely intervention. Previously, state governments have issued similar advisories to districts affected by heat waves to encourage prompt action.
For the past fortnight, cities in North, East, and Central India have been enduring severe heat waves as monsoon winds have stalled. Many cities in Northern India are experiencing maximum temperatures of around 45oC, resulting in stuffy, warm nights. Cities in Eastern India fare no better with the weather hot and humid.
Mrinalini Shrivastava, NDMA director, underlined that severe heat waves shifted working hours to early morning and late evening, which may impact the safety of women workers. 'Women informal workers face unique challenges while adapting to heat, including travel safety and increased vulnerability during early and late evening shifts,' said Shrivastava.
The advisory recommends developing a Heat Action Plan for informal workers. This plan should include flexible working hours, mapping high-risk areas, early warning systems, access to drinking water, shade, heat protection kits, and support for income security following heat waves.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
3 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Alarm bells ring: Uttarakhand's glacier lakes swell, signalling future disasters
DEHRADUN: The Himalayan region of Uttarakhand is witnessing an alarming proliferation of glacial lakes, a trend that experts warn could signal major future disasters in this ecologically fragile zone. A recent study by the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) has brought this worrying development to the fore. The study reveals a significant increase in the number of glaciers across the state, currently recorded at 1,290, up from 1,266 a decade ago. Concurrently, the area covered by glacial lakes has expanded by a substantial 8.1 per cent. This growth underscores the severe impacts of climate change on the delicate Himalayan ecosystem. Dr Rakesh Bhambri, a glaciologist at WIHG, elaborated on the findings, stating, 'Our research indicates that new lakes are forming on glaciers in the Uttarakhand Himalayas, and existing lakes are growing in size. There has been a notable increase in their numbers since our 2015 study.' Attributing this surge primarily to climate change and global warming, he further explained, 'The occurrence of rain instead of snow at altitudes of four to five thousand metres is a significant contributing factor, leading to glacier melt and the formation of these lakes.' While acknowledging the overall increase, Dr Bhambri clarified that not all lakes are expanding. The destructive potential of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) is not new to the region. The devastating Kedarnath tragedy of 2013 was triggered by the bursting of the Chorabari glacial lake, and the 2021 Raini-Tapovan floods were also a result of a similar event. Sikkim experienced a comparable disaster in 2013. In light of these past catastrophes, the Indian government has identified 13 such high-risk glacial lakes in Uttarakhand that could pose a significant threat in the future. Prominent among these are Vasundhara Lake in Chamoli, Kedartal in Uttarkashi, Nagkund in Bageshwar, six lakes in Pithoragarh, and one in Tehri.
New Indian Express
20 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Navy's daring mid-sea rescue stabilises drifting cargo vessel off Kerala coast amid raging fire, high seas
NEW DELHI: The tow of the distressed container vessel MV Wan Hai 503 was successfully transferred to the ocean-going tug Offshore Warrior on Friday, stabilising what could have spiralled into a major maritime disaster. The firefighting and salvage operation of the Singapore-flagged vessel is being jointly carried out by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Indian Navy and Indian Air Force. Despite adverse weather that restricted aerial operations and delayed the salvage team's boarding, a Navy Sea King helicopter launched from Kochi on 13 June heroically winched team members onto the vessel under extremely challenging conditions. The salvage team then managed to connect a 600-metre tow rope to Offshore Warrior approximately 20 nautical miles off the coast of Kochi. The vessel is now being towed westward at a speed of 1.8 knots and is nearly 35 nautical miles offshore. Three ICG Offshore Patrol Vessels continue to escort the container ship and sustain firefighting operations. At present, only thick smoke and a few isolated hotspots remain onboard, a testament to the ICG's effective firefighting efforts that have helped avert a major environmental disaster. The ICG is closely coordinating with the Directorate General of Shipping to ensure the vessel remains at least 50 nautical miles from the Indian coastline until its fate is determined by the owners, in accordance with international norms. The situation is expected to further stabilise with the anticipated arrival of additional firefighting tugs.
Hans India
a day ago
- Hans India
Monsoon to cover most parts of northwest India by June 25
The southwest monsoon, which regained momentum this week, is expected to cover most parts of northwest India, including Delhi, by June 25, well ahead of the usual dates, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The primary rain-bearing system reached Kerala on May 24, marking its earliest onset over the Indian mainland since 2009, when it arrived on May 23. Aided by strong low-pressure systems over the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, the monsoon advanced quickly over the next few days, covering parts up to central Maharashtra, including Mumbai, and the entire northeast by May 29. However, it stalled from May 28-29 until June 10-11 before becoming active again. The lack of rainfall since early June led to a sharp rise in temperatures, triggering heatwave conditions across large parts of northwest and central India since June 8-9. According to the IMD's extended range forecast, the monsoon is now likely to cover the remaining parts of central and eastern India and some areas of northwest India by June 18. It is expected to advance over most of northwest India between June 19 and June 25. An IMD official said the system is likely to reach Delhi by June 22-23, ahead of the normal onset date of June 27. Meteorologists say the date of monsoon onset does not directly correlate with the total seasonal rainfall. An early or delayed arrival in Kerala or Mumbai does not necessarily indicate similar progress in other parts of the country. They say the monsoon is influenced by complex global, regional and local factors, marked by significant variability. In May, the IMD forecast that India is likely to receive 106 per cent of the long-period average rainfall of 87 cm during the June-September monsoon season. Rainfall between 96 and 104 per cent of this 50-year average is considered 'normal'.
