Lok Sabha Question No. 609 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-04-27
Subject: Heat Waves' Advisory
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR, RAYAPATI SAMBASIVA RAO, SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD, SUDHEER GUPTA, RAMACHANDRAN MULLAPPALLY, VIJAY KUMAR S.R.

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 609 TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, April 27, 2016

## HEAT WAVES' ADVISORY

## 609. SHRI ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN:

KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRI RAYAPATI SAMBASIVA RAO:

DR. SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI MULLAPPALLY RAMACHANDRAN:

SHRI S.R. VIJAYAKUMAR:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of persons who lost their lives/seriously hurt due to heat waves which swept across the country during each of the last three years and the current year so far, State-wise;
- (b) whether  India  Meteorological  Department  (IMD)  has  come  out  with  the summer  advisory/summer  temperature  outlook  for  the  current  summer season and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of cities/towns that are to be covered for this purpose;
- (d) the  time  by  which  such  heat  waves'  specific  advisories  are  likely  to  be released; and
- (e) the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  spread  the  heat condition advisories to more and more people of the country?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES (SHRI Y. S. CHOWDARY)

- (a) The number of persons who lost their lives/seriously hurt due to heat waves which swept across the country during each of the last three years and the current year are as under;
- (b) Yes Madam.  India Meteorological Department  (IMD) Issued Seasonal Outlook for Temperatures during the 2016 Hot Weather Season (April- June) as given below on 31st March 2016.
-  During the 2016 Hot Weather Season (April to June), warmer than normal temperatures  are  expected  in  all  meteorological  sub-divisions  of  the country.  Seasonal  (April-June)  average  temperatures  over  northwest India are expected to be above normal by more than 1.00 C.
-  Above normal heat wave (HW) conditions are very likely over central and northwest India during the 2016 Hot Weather Season.
- (c-e)   IMD is also providing extended range forecasts (5 -day averaged forecasts for  next  15  days)  of  heat  wave  conditions  over  the  whole  country.  The forecast will consist of probability of occurrence of hot days, heat waves and severe heat waves for the next 15 days updated every 5th day from 1st April, 2016 onwards.

| State          | Year   | Year   | Year   | Year            |
|----------------|--------|--------|--------|-----------------|
| State          | 2013   | 2014   | 2015   | Till March 2016 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 1393   | 447    | 1422   | 8               |
| Telangana      |        |        | 584    | 56              |
| Odisha         | 1      | 24     | 67     | 19              |
| West Bengal    | 4      | 19     | 13     |                 |
| Assam          | 12     |        |        |                 |
| Jharakhand     | 6      |        |        |                 |
| Maharashtra    | 3      | 36     |        | 1               |
| M.P            | 3      |        | 10     |                 |
| U.P.           |        |        | 22     |                 |
| Rajasthan      | 5      | 6      | 2      |                 |
| Gujarat        | 6      | 3      | 10     |                 |
| Chhattisgarh   |        | 14     |        |                 |
| Kerala         |        |        |        | 1               |
| Tamil Nadu     |        |        |        | 1               |
| Karnataka      |        |        |        | 1               |
| Delhi          |        |        | 5      |                 |
| Year- Total    | 1433   | 549    | 2135   | 87              |

IMD will issue heat wave alerts and warnings on every five days which will be valid for next 15 days. The forecasts will be made available through IMD, Delhi website (www.imd.gov.in) and simultaneously shared with respective national/state/district  level  Disaster  Management  Authorities.  Advisories include  precautionary  measures  to  avoid  heat  stroke  include  -  drinking plenty of water; avoiding going out in open heat during 10AM-4PM; wearing light colored clothes; covering head/using imbrella while going out; monitoring  symptoms  of  heat  stroke  etc.  Based  on  such  warnings,  the respective authorities have been urging people to stay indoors during the mid-day along with health advisories to stay hydrated (to drink lot of water) so as to avoid heat strokes/illness.

Upon  prediction  of heat  wave  conditions  by  the  IMD,  various  state governments  have  a  system  of  giving  wide  publicity  of  Dos  and  Don'ts through advertisements in TV channels, News Papers and opening drinking water camps at identified places in rural and urban areas to mitigate the impact  of  heat  waves.    The  schedule  of  National  Rural  Employment Guarantee Scheme workers is adjusted to avoid exposure to extreme hot weather duration periods.

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