Parliament Panel Demands Stronger Heatwave Measures Amid Rising Climate Threats

India’s parliamentary standing committee on science and technology has urged the government to significantly strengthen its Heatwave Action Plan, warning that rapidly intensifying heat extremes pose serious risks to public health, livelihoods, water resources, and ecosystem stability. The committee’s recommendations follow an alarming increase in both the frequency and severity of heatwave events over the past decade, with metropolitan areas such as Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Nagpur recording air temperatures well above 45°C for extended periods. These events disproportionately affect children, elderly citizens, outdoor workers, and low-income groups with limited access to cooling.

The panel noted that while Heat Action Plans have been prepared and implemented in 23 states considered high-risk, most are overly generic and fail to incorporate region-specific medical protocols, urban design changes, and climate projections. Inadequate local adaptation planning, weak early warning systems, and under-resourced municipal bodies mean that heatwaves often catch health and emergency services off-guard. Furthermore, air and water pollution monitoring efforts—central to climate resilience—have been inconsistent, with the committee citing delays in action against high-emission industries and weak enforcement of water safety standards.

Another concern relates to tree-planting and afforestation programmes. While national targets for sapling planting are often exceeded, sapling mortality rates remain high due to lack of maintenance, absence of fencing, insufficient watering during dry seasons, and periodic neglect after initial planting drives. The loss of shade trees in urban zones worsens heat island effects, trapping heat in densely built neighbourhoods. The committee criticised gaps in inter-departmental coordination, urging an integrated approach involving health, energy, water, and disaster management agencies.

The parliamentary review has also recommended regular heatwave preparedness drills, public education campaigns, and the deployment of heat shelters in urban hubs. Enhanced funding pipelines are essential, particularly for upgrading scientific institutions tasked with climate observation and modelling. The inclusion of heatwave risk in building codes—prompting ventilation-friendly architecture and reflective roofing materials—was also proposed as a cost‑effective adaptation measure.

The urgency is amplified by climate models projecting further temperature increases of 1–3°C above historical averages in the next decade, raising the possibility of dangerous wet-bulb temperature events capable of causing heat stroke in otherwise healthy individuals. The government’s ability to mainstream climate adaptation into urban planning will heavily influence the severity of future heat impacts. The committee’s report adds weight to warnings from the Indian Meteorological Department and other research agencies that 2025 and beyond could see record-breaking heat seasons unless proactive measures are taken immediately.

Source : Outlook Business