Bihar: 'Rapid urbanisation sans greenery contributing to rise in heat'

Several parts of the state, including Patna and Gaya, are experiencing punishing heatwave with mercury crossing the 40°C mark on Thursday and Friday.
Experts said heatwave has been occurring for shorter duration for the last couple of years, which is a major cause for concern. They attributed climate change and rapid urbanisation across the state as the major reasons for this change, which used to last for around two months in past years.
"The effect of heatwave varies throughout the state. Its adverse effects are greater in districts like Gaya, Sasaram and Kaimur, where winds blow at high speed. When such winds come in contact with high temperatures, they cause heatwave, or 'Looh' in layman language," said Pradhan Parth Sarthi, dean, School of Earth, Biological and Environmental Science, Central University of South Bihar (CUSB), Gaya.
To mitigate the effects of rising temperatures, he suggested a variety of strategies. "Planting trees and other vegetation around buildings can help reduce the effect of high temperature by providing shade and cooling. Terrace garden is also a good option to combat the issue. White or light-coloured roofs can be installed to reduce heat absorption," he said.
The most effective way to address rising temperature is to tackle the root causes of climate change, which is reducing greenhouse gas emissions, primarily carbon dioxide (CO2), which is the most significant contributor to global warming, Pradhan added.
As per a recent report by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the average global temperature has increased by 1.2°C since 1880, where most of the changes took place after 1975. "We need to stop the average global temperature surge from reaching 1.5°C to avoid disastrous consequences," said Ashok Kumar Ghosh, chairman of Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB).