News / India

India gets ready to 'save lives' ahead of heat-wave time

Wednesday, 09 March 2016 2:49 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 09 March 2016 2:48 PM ]

An Indian boy washes his face with water from a pipe in a park on a hot day in New Delhi, India, May 31, 2015. (AFP photo)

Indian authorities are preparing for a plan to “save lives” ahead of the season of extreme heat, which turned deadly last year, says the India director for the National Resources Defense Council (NDRC).

Anjali Jaiswal, with the New York-based organization which is helping local leaders and officials adopt the program, said Wednesday that the plan would be launched over the next week in vulnerable cities where temperatures last year hit a sweltering 47 degrees Celsius (117 Fahrenheit).

The program covers Bhubaneswar and three other cities in the eastern state of Orissa, as well as the western temple town of Nagpur and four nearby cities, Jaiswal said.

“India is getting hotter, and it is killing people,” said the NDRC director, who added, “If you want to save lives you have to be prepared.”

"The monsoon was low last year, so we are worried about water availability when the temperatures start to rise," Jaiswal said.

She called on other Indian cities and regions to adopt similar heat-wave plans, noting, "When it comes to protecting communities and people, it takes leadership."

The cities involved in the program will prepare for the summer by educating children about heat risk. Hospitals will be equipped with ice packs and extra water. The cities also plan to offer extra water supplies, cool-air shelters and afternoon breaks for workers.

In addition to that, the plan will seek training medical workers to diagnose heat stress, dehydration and heat stroke.

In 2015, a devastating heat wave killed at least 2,500 people across India.

Many of the victims were day-time laborers, construction workers and farmers so poor they could not take a day off despite the heat.

The Indian Meteorological Department has revamped the way it forecasts temperatures to help officials plan for extreme conditions.

India experiences severe heat waves almost every year.

Experts predict an imminent heat wave during each summer across India can kill thousands of people if they are not prepared. They say India’s population of about 1.25 billion is bracing for even more challenging summers that will dry up forests, destroy crops, and wipe out farm animals.

An Indian driver rests on the sidewalk on a hot day in Hyderabad, June 1, 2015. (AFP photo)

They have also warned that by 2030, India will face an extreme water crisis as the country will have only half the water supply necessary for agriculture, industry and the public needs.

India's heat-wave risk is exacerbated by its dwindling water resources and plummeting groundwater reserves.

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