Brace for a harsh summer

The India Meteorological Department (IMD)’s outlook for the summer is much harsher than in the past seasons, and should serve as a warning and a guide to the authorities and the public. It has been predicted that there could be heatwaves that last 10 to 20 days instead of four to eight days. They can seriously impact people's lives all over India, with it being particularly severe in some areas. The weather agency has identified Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and parts of Maharashtra as the most vulnerable states. Water shortages, power outages, and other disruptions can well be expected. The agency does not foresee any serious impact on agriculture as the harvesting of crops has already started. There will be a direct impact on the health of people. The IMD has said who is most at risk and told the authorities to “take proactive measures” to fight the heat.

Heatwaves have claimed many lives in the past, and governments and administrations have Heat Action Plans which will help to counter them. The plans consist of early warning systems, capacity building in the healthcare set-up, and adaptive measures at workplaces. It is important to effectively implement the plans, and to make people aware of the do’s and don’ts in heatwave situations. The IMD has suggested the setting up of cooling centres, issuance of heat advisories, and steps for alleviation of heat island effects in affected areas. Northern Karnataka, which is usually hotter than other regions in the state, is likely to have more scorching times ahead. The IMD has issued a more specific warning for some districts in the state including Bagalkot, Gadag, Vijayapura, Koppal, and Kalaburagi, and alerted people to be ready for extremely hot conditions this week. Bengaluru has recorded some of its highest temperatures in the recent weeks. 

Campaigns for the Lok Sabha election have started in all the states, and they are going to peak when the summer is also expected to peak. Elections typically see tens of thousands of people moving outdoors and campaigning. Large crowds attend rallies and meetings. Such gatherings will pose serious risks in heatwave conditions. At least 13 people died of heatstroke at a political gathering in Maharashtra last year. There is no doubt that campaigns will be affected, and it is not yet known if parties are planning different strategies as they did during the Covid-19 pandemic. All governments will be busy with the election campaign and may not be able to pay much attention to taking measures to counter the extreme weather conditions. People will have to take care of themselves, reducing exposure to heat, and protecting their bodies.