Lok Sabha Question No. 234 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-24
Subject: Effective Heat Action Plans
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: Shri Pradyut Bordoloi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 234

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, 24 TH  JULY, 2024

## EFFECTIVE HEAT ACTION PLANS

## 234.    SHRI PRADYUT BORDOLOI:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) the  steps  taken/proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  update  and  implement effective Heat Action Plans (HAPs) in lieu of increasing frequency and intensity of heatwaves in the country particularly in densely populated and low income areas;
- (b) the details of the number of districts currently covered under HAPs, the outcome of these plans in the past three years and any new initiatives introduced to mitigate the impacts of night-time heat waves;
- (c) the details of the statistics on heat-related illnesses and mortality rates over the past three years; and
- (d) the details of the information on the coverage, accuracy, and effectiveness of current early  warning  systems  for  heatwaves,  including  plans  for  improvement  along  with details of budget allocated for these initiatives in the current fiscal year?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

- (a)-(b)  India  Meteorological  Department  (IMD)in  collaboration  with  the  national  disaster management authority  and  local  health  departments,  has  started  HAPs  in  23  States issuing early warning about heatwaves, and advised actions to be taken during such occasions.The heatwave bulletin is issued daily at 1600 hrs IST, providing heatwave forecasts  and  warnings  with  5-day  forecasts.  The  impact  of  an  expected  heatwave over a region is mentioned in color codes (Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red), and the specific impact is described. Bulletins are issued by meteorological centers/regional meteorological  centers  at  district  levels.  The  heatwave  alerts/information  are  also effectively disseminated through print and social media.
- (c) The mortality data are given in Annexure-1, as provided by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Ministry of Home Affairs.
- (d) IMD has taken various steps to improve monitoring and early warning systems, which helped minimize loss of life and property during extreme weather events, including heat waves. These include:
- i. Issuing seasonal and monthly outlook of temperature and heat wave conditions.
- ii. District-wise heatwave vulnerability Atlas over India to help State Government  authoritiesand  disaster  management  agencies  in  planning  and taking appropriate action.
- iii. The  hot  weather  hazard  analysis  over  India  that  includes  daily  temperature, winds, and humidity condition.
- iv. Heat  index  forecast  for  the  entire  country  and  impact-based  forecast  of heatwave conditions at district levels.
- v. Real-time heat wave information and warnings on the Web-GIS platform.
- vi. Heat Action Plans (HAPs) in 23 States that are prone to heatwave conditions jointly implemented by the national disaster management  authority in collaboration with the State Governments.
- vii. Improvement  of  warning  dissemination  services;  using  modern  tools  of dissemination systems for timely public outreach.

The budget (BE component) allocated for the central sector scheme Atmosphere & Climate Research-Modelling Observing Systems  &  Services  (ACROSS)  IMD component is 233.27 Cr for the FY2024-25.

State/UT wise deaths due to Heat/Sun Stroke during 2020-2022:

## Annexure-1

| S. No.   | State/UT                    |   2020 |   2021 |   2022 |
|----------|-----------------------------|--------|--------|--------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh              |     50 |     22 |     47 |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh           |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 3        | Assam                       |      0 |      0 |      1 |
| 4        | Bihar                       |     53 |     57 |     78 |
| 5        | Chhattisgarh                |      3 |      2 |     11 |
| 6        | Goa                         |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 7        | Gujarat                     |     12 |      8 |      5 |
| 8        | Haryana                     |     23 |     14 |     27 |
| 9        | Himachal Pradesh            |      0 |      1 |      0 |
| 10       | Jharkhand                   |     23 |     33 |     47 |
| 11       | Karnataka                   |      1 |      0 |      2 |
| 12       | Kerala                      |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 13       | Madhya Pradesh              |      7 |      2 |     27 |
| 14       | Maharashtra                 |     56 |     37 |     90 |
| 15       | Manipur                     |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 16       | Meghalaya                   |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 17       | Mizoram                     |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 18       | Nagaland                    |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 19       | Odisha                      |     13 |     15 |     38 |
| 20       | Punjab                      |    110 |     91 |    130 |
| 21       | Rajasthan                   |     23 |      1 |     12 |
| 22       | Sikkim                      |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 23       | Tamil Nadu                  |      0 |      2 |      2 |
| 24       | Telangana #                 |     98 |     43 |     62 |
| 25       | Tripura                     |      2 |      0 |      2 |
| 26       | Uttar Pradesh               |     50 |     35 |    130 |
| 27       | Uttarakhand                 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 28       | West Bengal                 |      6 |     11 |     18 |
|          | TOTAL STATE(S)              |    530 |    374 |    729 |
| 29       | A &NIslands                 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 30       | Chandigarh                  |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 31       | D&N Haveli and Daman &Diu@+ |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 32       | Delhi UT                    |      0 |      0 |      1 |
| 33       | Jammu &Kashmir@*            |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 34       | Ladakh@                     |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 35       | Lakshadweep                 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
| 36       | Puducherry                  |      0 |      0 |      0 |
|          | TOTAL UT(S)                 |      0 |      0 |      1 |
|          | TOTAL (ALL INDIA)           |    530 |    374 |    730 |

As per data provided by States/UTs

'+' Combined data of erstwhile D & N HAVELI AND DAMAN & DIU UT during 2013-2019

'*' Data of erstwhile JAMMU & KASHMIR State Including LADAKH during 2013-2019

'#' Data of newly created State during 2014

'@' Data of newly created Union Territory 2020

Source:National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)

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