HEATWAVE AND HUMAN SURVIVABILITY THRESHOLD IN INDIA

MONOJ GOGOI

Extreme summer heat waves in northern states of India poses a serious question on the human survivability threshold in India. The number of heatwave days, also the intensity, have been increasing over the years in the states such as Bihar, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab etc. The Mercury level soars high and the human plight starts. People from vulnerable groups are dying.

The states of northeast India also suffered from high temperatures combined with high summer humidity in the month of June. Noticing the exposure of children to scorching heat, the Assam government advanced the school starting time from 9:00am to 7:30 am. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), heatwave occurs when the maximum temperature reaches 40C or above in plains and 30C in hilly terrains. Although Assam did not record 40C in the last month, but the heat compounded with high humidity became unbearable.

People from vulnerable groups - elderly persons, children, pregnant women, people with ailments, people working outdoors, must take care to avoid heat-related health disasters. Several news reports say that in the month of June more than a hundred people died due heat waves in northern states of the country. It is often alleged that the number of casualties are under-reported.

People are suffering and dying in heat related cases in India and it's undeniable. India has National Disaster Management Act - 2005 and under it National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was constituted, and in state and district levels it has State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) and District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) to tackle such disasters. But India still needs a more strong and scientific framework than the existing to address the problem.

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