Latest news with #HeatActionPlan
Indian Express
24-05-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
97% Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad vendors received no govt alerts during heatwaves: Study
A recent study has revealed that a huge majority of vendors in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad received no government alerts during heatwaves, exposing the health risk posed by the community. The two-year survey conducted on 400 vendors examined exposure, coping methods, and financial losses due to rising temperatures. According to the study by FLAME University in Pune, 97 per cent of street vendors in Pune and 97.5 per cent said they were unaware of any heat wave warning by authorities highlighting the devastating impact on health and safety. PCMC vendors reported more sweating, exhaustion, and illness, while vendors in Pune found it harder to rest, drink water, or sit, according to the study by Prof Prasad Pathak, Dr Sheeva Dubey, and environment activist Yuvraj Gatkal. The survey said over half the vendors work without shade, fearing eviction if they install covers. In Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), only 15 per cent have access to toilets, and less than 20 per cent to drinking water. Financial losses were high as PCMC vendors lost an average of Rs 7,878 per month and PMC vendors lost Rs 5,240. These include spoilage of goods, fewer customers, and reduced working capacity. The study found 77 per cent of vendors lost income due to heat, higher than Delhi's 50 per cent reported in a 2023 Greenpeace survey. 'We don't want to just share data, we want action,' said Dr Dubey, while calling for for local warning systems and joint action by PMC and PCMC. Prof Pathak said, 'We need clarity not just on paper, but on the ground.' He also flagged the lack of funds and weak implementation. Yuvraj Gatkal said the Hawkers' Plaza model needs review. 'Plans must begin from real conditions,' he said. He added that flexibility and community role are missing. One participant demanded one toilet and tap for every 10 vendors at vending zones with 15 or more workers. Dr Anand Phadke from Jan Aarogya Abhiyaan urged for training on early symptoms, water, salt as vendors face high health risks. 'Authorities must track temperature and act,' he said. Sunil Bhadekar, PMC Town Vending Committee member, said, 'Vendors pay the most, get the least. Even basic spacing isn't provided. The system exists, but vendors are ignored.' PMC official from Environment Department Ashwini Yadav said the issue is serious and would be duly addressed. 'This is not the end, but a start. We will identify the vulnerable and respond.' Sanjay Shanke of the National Hawkers Federation added, 'Vendors are not victims. They are partners. Include them in planning.' Criticising the PCMC Heat Action Plan of 2024, experts have pointed to the lack of focus on workers' health and labour. They said though key issues were noted, no specific action for outdoor workers was taken and hawkers continued working without any cooling centres and community role. As heat and inequality rise, calls get louder to make vendors part of city-level climate plans from water to warnings, space to policy.
Indian Express
22-05-2025
- Climate
- Indian Express
Five things India needs to do to combat heatwave
Written by Neeraj Singh Manhas With temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius (113°F) hitting many parts of the country, heatwaves have become a public health and economic emergency. The lack of dedicated infrastructure for heatwaves puts millions at risk of death, heatstroke and dehydration. As climate change intensifies the frequency and severity of extreme heat, India must act swiftly to establish a robust, nationwide heatwave mitigation framework. Geographically, the country is a heatwave hotspot. More than 80 per cent of the country sees extreme heat between March and June, with northern and central states, including Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, consistently hitting over 40 degrees Celsius. Urban centres such as Delhi, Ahmedabad and Chennai become heat sinks, and the heat gathers momentum on the concrete-heavy skyline thanks to the urban heat island (UHI) effect. In rural zones, there's no relief either. A 2023 Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) study forecasts that heatwaves will become 30 per cent more frequent and severe by 2050, with each one lasting longer and arriving earlier. Without infrastructure to counter these conditions, the toll on human health can be and is devastating. Heatstroke, organ failure, and cardiovascular strain disproportionately afflict the elderly, children, and low-income communities, who lack access to cooling or medical care. The socioeconomic implications are also troubling. Heatwaves threaten the livelihood of India's huge outdoor workforce. Over 40 per cent of the population comprises construction workers, farmers, street vendors, food delivery partners, and rickshaw pullers. In 2022, India lost an estimated $100 billion from heat-induced productivity losses. According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), small businesses and the informal economy suffer a disproportionate impact. As soils dry and irrigation systems splutter, farmers confront crop failures and food security is endangered. And as cities strain to meet skyrocketing demand for air-conditioning, their power grids are faltering, with blackouts crippling hospitals, schools and other civic institutions. In 2024, Delhi reported over 200 heatwave-related deaths in a single week, with hospitals overwhelmed and morgues running out of space. These are not isolated incidents but symptoms of systemic unpreparedness. India has precedents to build on. The National Disaster Management Authority's heatwave guidelines, updated in 2019, provide a framework, but their implementation is patchy. States like Odisha, which revolutionised cyclone preparedness with shelters and early warnings, offer a model for heatwave resilience. Ahmedabad's Heat Action Plan, launched in 2013 (also updated in 2019), reduced heat-related mortality by 30 per cent through simple measures like cool roofs and public water distribution. Scaling these successes requires political will, funding, and coordination across central and state governments. Public-private partnerships can accelerate progress. Private firms could supply cooling technologies, while NGOs could manage community outreach. International funding, such as climate adaptation grants, could offset costs, given India's outsized exposure to climate impacts. What does a national heatwave infrastructure look like? First, cooling centres within reach of everyone need to be set up in every town, city, and rural area. The shelters, with water, shade, fans and simple medical services — provided by a local ambulance service — would be a resource to use during intense heat. Ahmedabad's cooling centres prevented many deaths during the 2023 heatwave, but the facilities are rare elsewhere. Second, we need urban planning that prioritises heat-resilient design. The widespread use of reflective roofs, better ventilation, and green spaces outdoors can also do much to bring down outdoor temperatures. These can reduce ambient temperatures significantly. Yet, cities like Delhi, with a meagre 23 per cent tree cover, lag behind global standards. Planting heat-tolerant trees and creating urban forests should be a national priority to combat heat island effects. Third, early warning systems, which are already working for states like Gujarat and Odisha, must be replicated on a nationwide scale. The early warning systems that rely on weather forecasts to give a heat alert should be complemented by public awareness campaigns in native languages to inform the people of the risks of extreme heat and how to prevent them. Mobile apps and SMS alerts can work in rural areas, but they require investment in digital infrastructure. Fourth, cheap cooling systems are important for low-income households. Subsidised fans, evaporative coolers or community cooling stations could help close the gap for the approximately 88 per cent of Indian households that lack access to air conditioning, according to a survey conducted in 2021. Finally, the healthcare sector needs to be ready for a heatwave, with trained staff, plentiful supplies and well-thought-out protocols to deal with the conditions, and patients with heat-related illnesses. Hospitals regularly run out of oral rehydration salts and IV fluids during the worst heat. Building a national heatwave infrastructure is not just a policy choice, it is a moral and economic imperative. The time to act is now, before the next summer scorches more lives and livelihoods. The writer is special advisor for South Asia at the Parley Policy Initiative, Republic of Korea. He is a regular commentator on water security and transboundary river issues in India and South Asia. Views are personal
Time of India
04-05-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Fountains, green shades and alerts: MMR's 1st heat action plan in Thane faces real test
Thane: On sweltering afternoons, auto driver Tukaram Sakpal often stops at one of Thane's new water fountains to refill his bottle. "I usually carry water from home, but it runs out quickly," he said, adding, "These fountains are a blessing for those working outdoors." The installation of some 50 water fountains in Thane are part of the city's Heat Action Plan, launched last summer to cope with rising temperatures. Climate projections by New Delhi-based think tank Council on Energy, Environment and Water, which helped prepare the Thane plan, indicate a threefold increase in the frequency of extreme hot days from 2024 to 2040, compared to 1982-2024, as well as a fourfold increase in warm nights. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai Thane's plan, the first in the Mumbai metropolitan region (MMR) based on hyperlocal heat-risk mapping, is being rolled out in phases. The first phase includes public water fountains, green shade nets at traffic junctions, and the creation of a heat task force, reports Manoj Badgeri. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Jawa Tengah: AI guru Andrew Ng recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Aroun... Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Water fountains installed in Thane as part of the city's Heat Action Plan have been a hit. The average daily water consumption is 2,500 litres, with the highest use occurring between 9 am and 4 pm, according to Jitendra Mehta from the NGO JVM Foundation, which has installed around 28 fountains. And while the green 'shades' at traffic junctions have been put up at only a few spots, officials are looking to expand them to other junctions where wait time is over 60 seconds, said Thane municipal commissioner Saurabh Rao. "Rising temperatures from global warming have made heat waves more frequent, even in coastal areas like Thane," said urban planner Sulakshana Mahajan, adding, "Rapid urbanization is also a major factor, as increased construction, more vehicles, and fewer green spaces cause the urban heat island effect , where heat is trapped by infrastructure, making the city much hotter than rural areas." Meanwhile, the task force—comprising municipal officials and NGOs— monitors weather conditions and issues alerts. "We study climatic patterns and release advisories to help people take precautions," said Manisha Pradhan from the Thane Municipal Pollution Control Board. The education department, for instance, recently advised schools to end classes before noon during heatwave conditions. Such advisories are crucial. Many residents may not recognize early signs of heat-related illness. Sanjay Desai, a 35-year-old sales representative, collapsed on his way to a client meeting and was later diagnosed with heat exhaustion—something he had earlier mistaken for stress. But the real test of Thane's heat action plan lies in the next phase: trying to physically cool down the city with rooftop gardens and 'cool pavements'----the latter comprises covering paved areas with special white paint to reflect the sun away from the street. The longer-term measures also include targeting interventions to vulnerable areas and populations; training health workers; increasing green cover; and integrating heat risk into urban planning. However, funds for the second phase have yet to materialise. Pradhan said that some funding will be done through special budget allocations, while other elements are being financed through CSR funds. Funding of longer-term measures is a problem across cities: A recent study based on interviews with officials in nine cities, found long-term actions for reducing heat risk were either absent or poorly implemented in all those cities. Local green activists also point out the irony of plans to increase green cover, on the one hand, while simultaneously destroying thousands of trees for infrastructure projects. "Studies show a 3°C rise in the temperature difference between felt and dry temperatures over the past few years, indicating that despite the tall claims of planting compensatory trees, the city's green cover is no longer effective in cooling the area," said Nishant Bangera of Muse Foundation. He pointed out that over 6,500 trees have been approved for removal or transplantation since 2022. "Not touching the tree cover would have naturally cooled off the city," Bangera said. thane_heat_map_gfx_CC Turn Thane
Indian Express
03-05-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Indoor heat stress in rural Maharashtra is underreported, says latest study
A new study in the Vidarbha region has flagged concern over the underreported extreme indoor heat stress in the rural areas of Maharashtra, as the country continues to grapple with record-breaking heatwaves. The study was conducted in the Wardha district, which is designated as a heat-priority district under Maharashtra's Heat Action Plan framework. It stated tin roofs, used in 45 per cent of surveyed homes, were associated with the highest indoor heat levels and that only 2.1 per cent of houses used straw roofs, which are considered more heat-resilient. Conducted across five villages, the study monitored indoor temperatures during the summer months in 2022 and surveyed over 2,600 residents across 700 homes to assess heat-related symptoms and coping mechanisms. The results of the study, supported by Watershed Organisation Trust's (WOTR) Centre for Resilience Studies in Pune, were published in the Journal of the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate. The findings include that indoor temperatures in tin-roof houses peaked at 37–38°C in June, consistently higher than in houses with tile or cement slab roofs. Over 82 per cent of respondents self-reported at least one heat-related symptom (HRS), including fatigue (22 per cent), heavy sweating (20 per cent), and intense thirst (16 per cent). Severe symptoms like fainting, hallucinations, and paranoid feelings were also reported. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that heat exposure will cause 38,000 and more than one lakh additional deaths per year during the 2030s and 2050s respectively and hence extreme temperatures or heat waves are considered a `silent killer'. According to Premsagar Tasgaonkar, research associate at Social Science and Climate Change Adaptation at WOTR, the findings point to alarmingly high indoor temperatures in tin-roofed houses, resulting in significant health symptoms among residents and a lack of targeted rural interventions in existing Heat Action Plans (HAPs). 'There is an urgent need to enhance and expand existing platforms for disseminating extreme temperature alerts and public health advisories. Integrating indigenous knowledge and practices in heat action plans along with the expertise of health professionals can contribute to mitigating adverse health and livelihood impacts of heat stress in rural areas,' Tasgaonkar told The Indian Express. Meanwhile, the need for necessary changes in disaster planning and recovery services has also found an echo in a new Lancet study that draws on data from 2009-2019. It looked at more than 1,500 people exposed to at least one disaster, such as floods, fires, or cyclones, and their mental health outcomes were compared to 3,880 Australians with similar sociodemographic profiles who did not experience disasters during the same period. Similarly, the Wardha study has added to the body of literature documenting the lived experience of rural communities facing climate extremes, providing data that can inform both local adaptation and national-level planning.
The Print
02-05-2025
- Climate
- The Print
What caused unseasonal downpour that wreaked havoc in Delhi NCR? A rare mix of weather phenomena
'Temperatures are likely to remain below 40 degrees Celsius at least on the first 10 days of May,' the official said, adding the mercury will start rising again after that. A senior Met department official said that thunder and dust storms, with light to moderate rain spells, are expected to continue over Delhi and its satellite towns through the weekend. New Delhi: A rare confluence of weather systems over Delhi-NCR led to intense rain and thunderstorms Friday, and caused the windspeed to peak up to 80 kmph in some pockets, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. Heavy rain, along with gusty winds, lashed Delhi-NCR in the early hours of Friday. The high-speed storm caused a house to collapse in the national capital, killing at least four people. Over a dozen trees were also uprooted and roads got waterlogged. Some flights were delayed. Also read: What Delhi govt's 2025 Heat Action Plan promises & what it misses What caused the sudden rain? IMD data showed that till 8.30 am, the Safdarjung observatory—the representative station—recorded 77mm of rainfall. This is the second highest single-day rainfall record for May since 1901. The record for the highest single-day rainfall was on May 20, 2021, when it was 119.3 mm. At Lodhi Road, 78 mm rainfall was recorded Friday; at Ridge, 59.2 mm; and at the Aya Nagar weather station, 39.4 mm rainfall was recorded through the night. Squally winds hit Safdarjung at a speed of 80 kmph. According to the IMD, this sudden weather change was due to a combination of factors involving moisture and wind patterns. Mahesh Palawat, vice-president (meteorology and climate change) at Skymet Weather, a private weather forecasting agency, explained that two cyclonic circulations are currently active over the region. One, over Punjab, Haryana and northwestern Rajasthan, and the other over southwestern Rajasthan. A cyclonic circulation is a pattern of winds that rotates around a low-pressure area. This, along with intense rain-bearing cloud formation, due to increased heating in the region over the last few days, led to such heavy showers. 'These clouds tend to cause heavy showers for shorter durations,' Palawat explained. The IMD confirmed that the region experienced moisture and wind convergence from both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. These conditions were further assisted by a synoptic pattern—a large-scale weather pattern typically observed on a weather map or chart—at the lower and middle tropospheric levels. 'The minimum temperatures have already dropped by a few degrees. In some pockets, the drop is as much as 5-6 degrees. Its effect will also be seen in the maximum temperatures,' a Met official said on Friday. Climate experts said there has been a trend of erratic western disturbances in recent years, leading to extreme weather events. 'There is growing evidence that western disturbances are impacting weather outside the winter season, leading to extreme precipitation events. There is no doubt that increasing heat stress is the basis of everything, as it is generating more energy and at the same time pushing moisture upwards,' said professor AP Dimri, director of the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism. (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also read: Everyone in north and central India must adapt to extreme heatwaves. Spring has vanished
