Lok Sabha Question No. 617 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-06
Subject: Heat Waves
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: DEVUSINH JESINGBHAI CHAUHAN

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No.  617

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2019

## HEAT WAVES

## 617.  SHRI DEVUSINH CHAUHAN:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken note of global rise in temperature especially in Indian continent in the last five years and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  a  large  number  of  deaths  due  to  intensive  heat  waves were reported in various parts of the country and if so, the details thereof, State-wise;
- (c) whether the Government has conducted or proposes to conduct a detailed scientific study on the 'heat wave' phenomenon in various parts of the country and if so, the details thereof including Kerala;
- (d) whether the Government has also assessed the impact of intensive  heatwaves  on  human  beings  and  flora  and  fauna  of  the country and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the remedial measures taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to address the issue?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

- (a) Yes Madam,  the Government  has  taken note of rise in global temperatures.  The  temperatures over India also showed a noticeable rise.    Average  annual  temperature  and  the  departures  from  the  long term  normal  over  the  country  as  a  whole  during  the  last  five  years (2014 to 2018) are given in the table below;

|   YEAR |   ANNUAL MEAN TEMP ( oC ) |   DEPARTURE ( oC ) |
|--------|---------------------------|--------------------|
|   2014 |                     25.73 |               0.23 |
|   2015 |                     25.92 |               0.42 |
|   2016 |                     26.2  |               0.7  |
|   2017 |                     26.04 |               0.54 |
|   2018 |                     25.9  |               0.39 |

Average temperatures over India during 2018 were significantly above normal. During the year, annual mean  surface air temperature, averaged  over  the  country,  was  +0.390C  above  (1981-2010  period) average.  The  year  2018  was  the  sixth  warmest  year  on  record  since nation-wide records commenced in 1901. However, this was substantially  lower  than  the  highest  warming  observed  over  India during 2016 (+0.70C). It may also be mentioned that the Global mean surface temperature anomaly during 2018 was +0.980C.

- (b) There was a significant increase in number of death due to heatwave till 2015. Deaths due to Heat wave during 2010-2018 years are given in table below.

| Deaths due to Heat Wave since 2010   | Deaths due to Heat Wave since 2010   |
|--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
| Year                                 | Deaths due to Heat wave              |
| 2010                                 | 269                                  |
| 2011                                 | 12                                   |
| 2012                                 | 729                                  |
| 2013                                 | 1433                                 |
| 2014                                 | 548                                  |
| 2015                                 | 2081                                 |
| 2016                                 | 700                                  |
| 2017                                 | 375                                  |
| 2018                                 | 20                                   |

State wise statistics for the year 2017 and 2018 are given in Annexure. However, the deaths due to heat waves are not reported from Kerala. It is  further  mentioned  that  due  to  improved  forecast  and  heat  action plan by states the casuality has been reduced during 2016-2018.

- (c) A latest study shows that heat waves have increased in many parts of the  country.  In  India,  the  heat  wave  (HW)  conditions  are  generally experienced  during  the  period  from  March  to  July  with  HW  events mostly experienced during the middle 3 months period of April to June (AMJ)  It  has  been  observed  that  during  hot  weather  season  (AMJ), stations  from  the  north,  northwest,  central,  east  India  and  northeast Peninsula  (together  called  core  HW  zone  (CHZ))  are  most  prone  for heat wave (HW)/ severe heat wave (SHW) days with highest frequency during  May.    The  CHZ  covers  states  of  Punjab,  Himachal  Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa and Telangana and met subdivisions of Marathwada, Vidarbha, Madhya Maharashtra and coastal Andhra Pradesh. Noticeable decadal variation is also observed in the frequency, spatial coverage and area of  maximum  frequency  in  the  HW/SHW  days.    Significant  increasing trends in the HW days were observed in many stations from CHZ.
- (d) Abnormal temperature events can impose severe physiological stress on  the  human  body  as  the  body  operates  best  within  a  fairly  normal temperature  range.    There  is  a  marked  relationship  between  human mortality  and  thermal  stress.  During  unusually  hot  episodes,  deaths from different causes can rise significantly with the elderly at greater risk  than  others.    India  has  experienced  manifold  increase  in  the human deaths during various heat waves of years like1971, 1987, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2013 & 2015. Recent years (2001-2015) have registered the highest  number  of  deaths  due  to  heat  wave  events  compared  to previous 3 decades.
- (e) As  an  adaptive  measure,  IMD  in  collaboration  with  local  health departments have started heat action plan in many parts of the country to  forewarn  the  heat  waves  and  advising  action  to  be  taken  during these occasions, including Ahmadabad heat action plan operated since 2013.

The  Heat  Action  Plan  is  a  comprehensive  early  warning  system  and preparedness plan for extreme heat events. The Plan presents immediate and longer-term actions to increase preparedness, information-sharing,  and  response  coordination  to  reduce  the  health impacts of extreme heat on vulnerable populations. The main objectives of the Heat Action Plan are Building Public Awareness and Community  Outreach,  Utilizing  an  Early  Warning  System  and  InterAgency Coordination, Capacity Building Among Health Care Professionals  and  Reducing  Heat  Exposure  and  Promoting  Adaptive Measures.

Annexure

State  wise  statistics  for  the  year  2017  and  2018  for  Deaths  due  to  Heat wave according to reports received

| Deaths due to Heat wave during the year 2017   | Deaths due to Heat wave during the year 2017   |
|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| State                                          | No. of Deaths                                  |
| Andhra Pradesh                                 | 236                                            |
| Jharkhand                                      | 4                                              |
| Maharashtra                                    | 16                                             |
| Odisha                                         | 17                                             |
| Telangana                                      | 100                                            |
| West Bengal                                    | 2                                              |
| Total                                          | 375                                            |

| Deaths due to Heat wave during the year 2018   | Deaths due to Heat wave during the year 2018   |
|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| State                                          | No. of Deaths                                  |
| Maharashtra                                    | 9                                              |
| U.P.                                           | 9                                              |
| Jharkhand                                      | 2                                              |
| Total                                          | 20                                             |