Lok Sabha Question No. 924 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-26
Subject: Heat Action Plans (HAPs)
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: Karti P. Chidambaram

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 924

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, 26 TH  JULY, 2023

## HEAT ACTION PLANS (HAPs)

## 924. SHRI KARTI P. CHIDAMBARAM:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) the total number of heat related deaths in India in the last five years;
- (b) whether  the  Government  plans  to  bring  the  Heat  Action  Plans  (HAPs)  under  a comprehensive framework for better coordination between the Centre and the States;
- (c) if so, the details of such plans;
- (d) the details of plans envisaged by the Government for creation of Heat Action Plans under the concerned authority in States and cities where it is most required; and
- (e) whether institutions responsible for the implementation HAPs receive adequate funding and if so, the details of resource allocation thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES

## (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

- (a) Number  of  heat  related  deaths  across  the  country  during  the  period  2017-2021,  as provided  by  the  National  Crime  Record  Bureau  (NCRB),  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  is given  in  Annexure-I.  It  can  be  noticed  that  in  the  recent  years  there  is  considerable reduction in the number of causalities due to heat wave.  Better early  warning services towards  heatwave  (alongwith  guideline)  is  one  of  the  reasons  for  reduction  in  the causalities.
- (b)-(d) India Meteorological Department (IMD) in collaboration with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and local health departments have started Heat Action Plan in many parts of the country to  forewarn  about the heat waves and also advising action to be taken during such occasions.  .

The  Heat  Action  Plan  which  became  operational  in  2013  is  a  comprehensive  early warning  system  and  preparedness  plan  for  extreme  heat  events.  The  Plan  presents immediate as well as longer-term actions to increase preparedness, information-sharing, and  response  coordination  to  reduce  the  health  impacts  of  extreme  heat  on  vulnerable populations.  NDMA  and  IMD  are  working  with  23  states  prone  to  high  temperatures leading to heat-wave conditions to develop heat action plans.

1. Andhra Pradesh
2. Arunachal Pradesh
3. Bihar
4. Chhattisgarh
5. Delhi
6. Gujarat
7. Goa
8. Haryana
9. Himachal Pradesh
10. Jharkhand
11. Jammu and Kashmir
12. Karnataka
13. Kerala
14. Maharashtra
15. Madhya Pradesh
16. Odisha
17. Punjab
18. Rajasthan
19. Tamil Nadu
20. Telangana
21. Uttarakhand
22. Uttar Pradesh
23. West Bengal

## The main aims of the Heat Action Plan are;

-  Establish Early Warning System and Inter-Agency Coordination to alert residents on predicted high and extreme temperatures. Who will do what, when, and how is made  clear to individuals and units of key departments, especially health department.
-  Capacity building / training programme for health care professionals at local level to recognize and respond to heat-related illnesses, particularly during extreme heat events. These training programmes focus on medical officers, paramedical staff and community health staff so that they can effectively prevent and manage heat-related medical issues to reduce mortality and morbidity.
-  Public  Awareness  and community  outreach Disseminating public awareness messages on how to protect against the extreme heat-wave through print, electronic and social media and Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials such as pamphlets, posters and advertisements and Television Commercials (TVCs) on Do and Don't and treatment measures for heat related illnesses.
-  Collaboration  with  non-government  and  civil  society:  Collaboration  with  nongovernmental organizations and civil society organizations to improve bus stands, building temporary shelters, wherever necessary, improved water delivery systems in public areas and other innovative measures to tackle Heat wave conditions.
-  Identifying vulnerable populations and the health risks specific to each group.
-  Developing  effective  strategies,  agency  coordination  and  response  planning  that addresses heat-health risks.
-  Heat Health  Information  Surveillance System  (HHISS)  to  monitor and  assess  the impact of heat waves on human health.
-  Reducing  Heat  Exposure  and  Promoting  Adaptive  Measures  by  launching  new efforts including mapping of high-risk areas, access to potable drinking water and cooling spaces during extreme heat days.
-  Evaluating and updating the Heat Action Plan regularly.

As  an  initiative  regarding  protection  against  the  heatwaves,  IMD  is  issuing  Seasonal Outlook for temperatures for the months of April, May & June in the last week of March for planning purpose, since 2016. In the recent years, IMD has started issuing seasonal outlook for temperature for March to May also in addition to the monthly outlook being issued at the end of every month for the subsequent month.

India  Meteorological  Department  has  recently  launched  Heat  Index  on  experimental basis.

The  heat  index  provides  information  about  the  impact  of  humidity on  the  high temperatures and thus provides a feel like temperature for human beings which can be used as an indication for human discomfort. It provides guidance towards additional steps to be taken by people for keeping themselves cool, to reduce discomfort.

- (e) Funds are allocated through the central sector scheme to IMD towards implementation of weather and climate related forecasts and warnings including the heat action plans.

## Annexure-I

## State/UT-wise Number of Accidental deaths due to Heat/Sun Stroke during 2017-2021

|   SN | State/UT          |   2017 |   2018 |   2019 |   2020 |   2021 |
|------|-------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|
|    1 | Andhra Pradesh    |    231 |     97 |    128 |     50 |     22 |
|    2 | Arunachal Pradesh |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
|    3 | Assam             |      0 |      0 |      3 |      0 |      0 |
|    4 | Bihar             |     84 |     64 |    215 |     53 |     57 |
|    5 | Chhattisgarh      |     11 |      1 |     16 |      3 |      2 |
|    6 | Goa               |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
|    7 | Gujarat           |     25 |     31 |     27 |     12 |      8 |
|    8 | Haryana           |     24 |     56 |     46 |     23 |     14 |
|    9 | Himachal Pradesh  |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      1 |
|   10 | Jharkhand         |     51 |     42 |     88 |     23 |     33 |
|   11 | Karnataka         |      0 |      0 |      4 |      1 |      0 |
|   12 | Kerala            |      1 |      1 |      3 |      0 |      0 |
|   13 | Madhya Pradesh    |     34 |     15 |     33 |      7 |      2 |
|   14 | Maharashtra       |    102 |    128 |    159 |     56 |     37 |
|   15 | Manipur           |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
|   16 | Meghalaya         |      0 |      4 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
|   17 | Mizoram           |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
|   18 | Nagaland          |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |
|   19 | Odisha            |     99 |     40 |     84 |     13 |     15 |
|   20 | Punjab            |     60 |     38 |     90 |    110 |     91 |
|   21 | Rajasthan         |     35 |     43 |     54 |     23 |      1 |
|   22 | Sikkim            |      0 |      0 |      1 |      0 |      0 |
|   23 | Tamil Nadu        |      0 |      0 |      0 |      0 |      2 |
|   24 | Telangana         |    180 |    107 |    156 |     98 |     43 |
|   25 | Tripura           |      0 |      1 |      1 |      2 |      0 |

| 26   | Uttar Pradesh              | 142   | 176   | 117   |   50 |   35 |
|------|----------------------------|-------|-------|-------|------|------|
| 27   | Uttarakhand                | 0     | 0     | 0     |    0 |    0 |
| 28   | West Bengal                | 48    | 46    | 49    |    6 |   11 |
|      | TOTAL STATE(S)             | 1127  | 890   | 1274  |  530 |  374 |
| 29   | A & N Islands              | 0     | 0     | 0     |    0 |    0 |
| 30   | Chandigarh                 | 0     | 0     | 0     |    0 |    0 |
| 31   | D&N Haveli and Daman&Diu@+ | 0     | 0     | 0     |    0 |    0 |
| 32   | Delhi UT                   | 0     | 0     | 0     |    0 |    0 |
| 33   | Jammu &Kashmir@*           | 0     | 0     | 0     |    0 |    0 |
| 34   | Ladakh@                    | -     | -     | -     |    0 |    0 |
| 35   | Lakshadweep                | 0     | 0     | 0     |    0 |    0 |
| 36   | Puducherry                 | 0     | 0     | 0     |    0 |    0 |
|      | TOTAL UT(S)                | 0     | 0     | 0     |    0 |    0 |
|      | TOTAL (ALL INDIA)          | 1127  | 890   | 1274  |  530 |  374 |

As per data provided by states/UTs

Source: Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India

'+' Combined data of erstwhile D & N HAVELI AND DAMAN & DIU UT during 2017-2019

'*' Data of erstwhile JAMMU & KASHMIR State Including LADAKH during 2017- 2019 '@' Data of newly created Union territory