India’s development at risk due to heatwave, says Cambridge study, blames Centre for neglecting data
1 min read . Updated: 20 Apr 2023, 07:26 AM IST
PremiumAccording to the study, the Indian government is neglecting to incorporate heat stress into its planning for climate change.
In India, almost 90% of the population are made more vulnerable to public health issues, food shortages and increased risk of death due to the impact of heat stress caused by repeated high temperatures, a new study by academics at the University of Cambridge has found.
The report states that India's heatwaves are holding back the development of Asia's third largest economy, yet the impact of heat stress is not being measured by the Indian government in its assessment of climate vulnerability.
This April, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange warning of a severe heatwave in parts of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal, all states with a high proportion of rural workers and labourers who are forced to work outside even as temperatures and humidity soar. The situation is expected to worsen if heat stress is not measured and addressed effectively.
The researchers measured the physical impact of last year's record-breaking 49 degrees Celsius heat on India's population and found that the country's population is among the most at risk to the effects of high heat, which is becoming more severe with climate change.
Despite this, the government is failing to measure heat stress as part of its planning for climate change, making it difficult to identify parts of the country where people are most vulnerable.
As per Ramit Debnath, one of the authors of the study, implementing a heat stress measure that identifies the areas in India where the population is most susceptible to the effects of recurring heat waves could enhance the effectiveness of Heat Action Plans being developed across the country.
India's population of 1.39 billion has recently overtaken China as the world's most populous nation, and experts are warning of an even worse situation this year.
In recent years, India has become particularly vulnerable to extreme heat, with a severe heatwave sweeping across much of Asia, causing deaths and school closures in the country.
(With agency inputs)