30/11/2018 - Disaster Management

KEY POINTS

Heat Wave: A Heat Wave is a period of abnormally high temperatures, more than the normal maximum temperature that occurs during the summer season. The extreme temperatures and resultant atmospheric conditions adversely affect people living in these regions as they cause physiological stress, sometimes resulting in death.

Consequences of heat waves

·        According to the Lancet journal, India was particularly affected by the rising frequency of heat wave events and lost about 75 billion hours of work, a significant part of it in the agricultural sector.

·        Crop failures due to intense droughts.

·        Drying up of reservoirs, ponds, lakes can cause a drinking water shortage.

·        Heat strokes, dehydration can cause fatalities, especially with older persons.

·        Higher summer temperatures will increase electricity demand for cooling, at the same time, higher temperatures lower the ability of transmission lines to carry power, leading to electricity reliability issues during heat waves.

Policy response from India

Current framework

The National Disaster Management Act, 2005, and the National Policy on Disaster Management, 2009, do not include heat wave in the list of natural calamities. The government, therefore, does not devote financial and infrastructure resources to the problem.

What India needs to do

·        A dedicated legal framework for heat waves by the National Disaster Management Agency, with infrastructure and financial support.

·        Reduction in the share of coal in the energy mix through sustained support for renewable energy, particularly solar photovoltaics, must form the cornerstone of national policy.

·        Need to shift away from the use of fossil fuels for transport, and the induction of more electric vehicles.

·        Revival of traditional water harvesting structures like Eris of TamilNadu, Johads of Rajasthan across India.

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