Context:

• Disasters are often perceived as distant threats, but climate change has increased the frequency of extreme weather events.
• Among them, heatwaves have become a silent killer in India, impacting public health, infrastructure, and economic stability. However, public awareness regarding heatwave risks remains alarmingly low.

Rising Heatwave Threat in India:

• India is experiencing more frequent, prolonged, and severe
• January 2025 marked the 18th month in the last 19 where global temperatures crossed the 1.5°C threshold.
• The Paris Summit goal of limiting global temperature rise to 2°C is now nearly unattainable.

Impacts of Heatwaves:

• Public health crisis: 90% of Indians are vulnerable to heat-related illnesses. Rural healthcare systems are overburdened due to heat-induced ailments.
• Economic consequences: Heat stress could cause 34 million job losses in India by 2030 (World Bank). Outdoor workers suffer productivity losses.
• Water scarcity and food security:
  • The supply of water is not keeping up with the rising demand. Only 4% of the world's freshwater is found in India, while having 18% of the world's population.
  • 54% of India’s land faces high-to-extreme-high water stress (WRI).
  • Declining groundwater levels and rising irrigation demands threaten agriculture.
  • Heatwaves can lead to crop failures and reduced yields.
• Energy sector challenges:
  • Increased power demand for cooling strains the energy supply.
  • 70% of India’s power is generated by thermal plants that rely on water for cooling, making them vulnerable to inefficiencies.

Government Response and Policy Interventions:

• Role of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA):
  • Recognized heatwaves as a serious hazard.
  • Conducts national workshops to enhance preparedness.
  • Develops and implements Heat Action Plans (HAPs) - a structured approach to mitigating heatwave impacts.
  • Issues guidelines for state and local governments.
• National Framework for Heatwave Mitigation and Management (2024):
  • Shifts focus from short-term response to long-term mitigation.
  • Includes local vulnerability assessments, community participation, and inter-sectoral coordination.
  • Encourages states to classify heatwaves as disasters for better resource allocation.
  • Extends the focus from preparedness to mitigation, advocating for locally-owned and context-specific HAPs.
  • Mandates periodic updates to HAPs based on data-driven impact assessments.

Implementation Challenges and Strategies:

• Strengthening local interventions:
  • Encouragement of cool roofs and green infrastructure.
  • Early warning systems strengthened through Indian Meteorological Department (IMD)-NDMA coordination.
  • Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) used for efficient dissemination.
• Protecting vulnerable populations:
  • Revising working hours and providing cooling vests for outdoor workers.
  • Establishing cool rooms with drinking water in high-risk urban areas.
  • Enhancing hospital readiness with heat management protocols.
• Water conservation measures:
  • Promoting rooftop rainwater harvesting.
  • Setting up water kiosks in vulnerable communities.

Conclusion:

• With over 250 Heat Action Plans in place, the next challenge is ensuring effective implementation and public awareness.
• India must focus on transforming cities and communities into heat-resilient ecosystems to withstand rising temperatures in the future.