Introduction & Summary
Heatwaves and coldwaves, often silent but severe natural hazards, are increasingly impacting India due to climate change, posing significant threats to human health, agriculture, and the economy. As slow-onset disasters, their subtle progression can lead to severe consequences, including increased mortality. Understanding their causes, vulnerable regions, and multifaceted impacts is crucial for effective disaster management. This topic delves into comprehensive mitigation and preparedness strategies including city/state-level Heat Action Plans (HAPs) and Coldwave Action Plans, robust early warning systems by IMD, and crucial public awareness campaigns. It particularly highlights the intensifying climate change implications that necessitate proactive and adaptive strategies to safeguard vulnerable populations and build resilience against these escalating thermal hazards.
Causes, Vulnerability & Impacts
Heatwaves
Causes:
Prolonged period of abnormally high temperatures, often accompanied by high humidity. Typically occur when warm air mass remains stagnant over a region. Absence of rain, dry winds, and clear skies exacerbate conditions.
Vulnerable Regions:
- North and Northwest India: Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, parts of Maharashtra (Vidarbha, Marathwada), Gujarat.
- Coastal Areas: High humidity can make heat stress more severe.
- Urban Areas: Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect (concrete surfaces, lack of green spaces, anthropogenic heat) intensifies heat in cities.
Impact on Human Health:
- Heat Stroke: A medical emergency, potentially fatal, caused by the body overheating.
- Dehydration, Heat Exhaustion, Heat Cramps.
- Increased Mortality: Particularly among vulnerable groups (elderly, children, outdoor laborers, homeless, chronically ill).
- Public Health: Increased strain on healthcare systems.
Impact on Agriculture:
Crop stress, reduced yields, increased water demand for irrigation, livestock distress.
Impact on Economy:
Decreased labor productivity (especially for outdoor workers), increased energy demand for cooling, impact on transport infrastructure (e.g., melting roads), economic losses.
Coldwaves
Causes:
A period of abnormally low temperatures, often accompanied by strong winds (wind chill). Typically occur due to the invasion of cold air masses from polar regions.
Vulnerable Regions:
North India (Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar) is most susceptible. Hilly regions also experience severe cold.
Impact on Human Health:
- Hypothermia, Frostbite.
- Increased Mortality: Particularly among homeless, elderly, and those without adequate shelter or heating.
- Respiratory Illnesses: Exacerbates conditions like asthma, pneumonia.
Impact on Agriculture:
Damage to winter crops (e.g., frost damage to vegetables, mustard), livestock distress.
Impact on Economy:
Disruption of transport (fog), increased demand for heating, economic losses in agriculture.
Source:
IMD, NDMA Guidelines on Heatwaves & Coldwaves, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
Mitigation & Preparedness
Heat Action Plans (HAPs) at City/State level
Definition: Comprehensive plans developed by urban local bodies and state governments to reduce heat-related illness and mortality.
e.g., Ahmedabad's HAP (Launched 2013, first in South Asia): A pioneering initiative.
- Components: Multi-sectoral early warning system, public awareness campaigns (Do's & Don'ts), inter-agency coordination, heat-related illness surveillance, and provision of cool shelters/drinking water.
- Impact: Credited with significantly reducing heatwave-related mortality in Ahmedabad.
- Expansion: Now being replicated across many cities and states in India (e.g., Odisha, Maharashtra, Delhi, Telangana).
Early Warning (IMD)
Role: India Meteorological Department (IMD) is the primary agency for issuing heatwave and coldwave warnings based on defined criteria (e.g., departure from normal temperature).
Dissemination: Warnings are disseminated through various channels to state governments, disaster management authorities, and the public.
Public Awareness (Do's & Don'ts)
Educating the public on safety measures during heatwaves and coldwaves:
- Heatwaves: Stay hydrated, avoid outdoor activity during peak hours, wear light clothing, use cool shelters.
- Coldwaves: Stay indoors, wear warm clothes, avoid alcohol, seek shelter.
Provision of water, Cool shelters/Night shelters
- Cool Shelters: Establishing public places (e.g., community halls, schools) as shaded, cool places with drinking water during heatwaves.
- Night Shelters: For homeless during coldwaves.
Capacity Building
Training healthcare professionals to recognize and treat heat-related illnesses, and cold-related conditions.
Urban Green Spaces
Promoting green spaces and tree plantation in urban areas to mitigate the Urban Heat Island effect.
Source:
NDMA Guidelines on Heatwaves and Coldwaves, IMD, National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP).
Climate Change Implications
Increased Frequency & Intensity:
Climate change is leading to a significant increase in the frequency, duration, and intensity of heatwaves across India.
IPCC Reports: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports consistently highlight that global warming is making extreme heat events more common and severe.
Changes in Coldwave Patterns:
While heatwaves are increasing, climate change can also affect coldwave patterns, potentially leading to more intense but shorter cold snaps, or shifts in their geographical distribution.
Impact on Monsoons:
Prolonged heatwaves can also affect monsoon onset and intensity, impacting agriculture and water availability.
Conceptual Trend: Heatwave Frequency & Intensity
This conceptual chart illustrates the projected increase in heatwave frequency and intensity due to climate change.
Disproportionate Impact:
Climate change-induced thermal hazards disproportionately affect vulnerable populations (outdoor laborers, urban poor, elderly) who have limited adaptive capacity.
Adaptation Imperative:
This necessitates embedding adaptation strategies into development planning, urban infrastructure, and public health systems.
Source:
IPCC Assessment Reports, IMD climate data.
Conclusion & Way Forward
Heatwaves and coldwaves, increasingly severe due to climate change, pose significant, though often underestimated, threats to human health and socio-economic stability in India. Effective management demands a shift towards proactive and adaptive strategies. The widespread implementation of Heat Action Plans (HAPs), leveraging IMD's early warning systems, and ensuring robust public awareness campaigns are crucial mitigation and preparedness measures. By prioritizing climate change adaptation in urban planning, agriculture, and public health, India can significantly enhance its resilience to these escalating thermal hazards, safeguarding vulnerable populations and contributing to the nation's overall disaster preparedness.
Prelims-ready Notes
- Heatwaves: Causes: Prolonged high temp, humidity, stagnant air, dry winds. Vulnerable: North/NW India, coastal areas, Urban Heat Island effect (cities). Impact: Heat Stroke (fatal), dehydration, mortality (elderly, outdoor workers).
- Coldwaves: Causes: Abnormally low temp, strong winds (wind chill), cold air masses. Vulnerable: North India (Punjab, Haryana, UP, Delhi, Bihar). Impact: Hypothermia, frostbite, mortality (homeless), respiratory illness.
- Mitigation & Preparedness (HAPs/Coldwave Action Plans): Heat Action Plans (HAPs): City/State level (e.g., Ahmedabad HAP - first in South Asia, credited with reducing mortality). Early Warning (IMD): Primary agency. Dissemination. Public Awareness (Do's & Don'ts): Stay hydrated/warm, avoid peak hours. Provision of water, Cool shelters/Night shelters. Urban Green Spaces.
- Climate Change Implications: Increased Frequency & Intensity: Especially heatwaves (IPCC reports). Impact on Monsoon (drought/flood). Disproportionate impact on vulnerable. Adaptation imperative.
Summary Table: Heatwaves & Coldwaves Management in India
| Aspect | Key Features/Challenges | India's Strategies/Initiatives | Examples/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vulnerability | North/NW/Central India (Heatwaves), North India (Coldwaves), Urban Areas (UHI) | Public Awareness (Do's & Don'ts) | High mortality among vulnerable, agricultural losses |
| Causes/Impact | Prolonged extreme temps; Heat Stroke/Hypothermia, Mortality | ||
| Mitigation/Prep. | Proactive measures for thermal hazards | Heat Action Plans (HAPs) (Ahmedabad model), IMD Early Warning, Cool/Night Shelters | Reduced casualties, improved public health |
| Climate Change | Increased frequency/intensity (Heatwaves), changed patterns (Coldwaves) | Adaptation imperative, integration into urban planning | Escalating risk, disproportionate impact on vulnerable |
Mains-ready Analytical Notes
Context: Heatwaves are a significant natural hazard in India, with increasing frequency and intensity due to climate change. They cause considerable morbidity and mortality, especially among vulnerable groups.
HAPs as a Proactive Strategy: HAPs are multi-sectoral, localized plans designed to reduce heat-related illness and death. They represent a shift from reactive response to proactive preparedness and mitigation.
Key Components of a Robust HAP (e.g., Ahmedabad Model):
- Early Warning System (EWS): IMD heatwave forecasts disseminated to various stakeholders (health, municipal, public).
- Public Awareness Campaigns: "Do's and Don'ts" on staying hydrated, avoiding peak hours, recognizing heat stroke symptoms.
- Inter-Agency Coordination: Between health departments, municipal corporations, disaster management authorities, NGOs.
- Cooling Measures: Provision of public drinking water points, cool shelters, rescheduling outdoor work.
- Heat-related Illness Surveillance: Active monitoring of hospital admissions for heat-related illnesses.
- Capacity Building: Training healthcare workers and first responders.
Effectiveness: Ahmedabad's HAP (first in South Asia, launched 2013) is credited with significantly reducing heatwave-related mortality. Its success lies in its localized, coordinated, and community-centric approach.
Challenges in Scaling Up across India:
- Lack of Uniformity: HAPs vary in quality and comprehensiveness across cities/states.
- Funding & Resources: Adequate funding for establishing cool shelters, public water points, and awareness campaigns.
- Capacity Gaps: Lack of trained personnel at local levels to implement and monitor HAPs.
- Reaching Vulnerable Groups: Ensuring effective outreach to outdoor laborers, homeless, and slum dwellers.
- Enforcement: Implementing measures like rescheduling work hours effectively.
- Urban Heat Island Effect: Managing increasing urbanization that exacerbates heat.
- Climate Change: Continuous adaptation of HAPs to more intense and frequent heatwaves.
Conclusion: HAPs represent a crucial, proactive strategy for building resilience against heatwaves in India. While the Ahmedabad model offers valuable lessons, successful scaling up requires sustained political will, adequate funding, enhanced local capacities, and an integrated urban planning approach that prioritizes green spaces and public health.
Context: Heatwaves and coldwaves are often "silent disasters" but cause significant human and economic loss, impacts intensified by climate change.
Socio-economic Impact:
- Human Health & Mortality: Direct casualties from heat stroke/hypothermia. Increased hospitalizations, strain on healthcare systems. Disproportionately affects elderly, children, outdoor laborers, homeless.
- Livelihoods: Reduced productivity for outdoor workers (construction, agriculture). Crop damage (heat/frost stress), livestock distress, impacting farmer incomes.
- Economic Losses: Increased energy demand for cooling/heating, impact on transport (rail buckling, fog), loss of agricultural output.
- Public Health: Water scarcity during heatwaves, respiratory illnesses during coldwaves.
Implications of Climate Change:
- Increased Frequency & Intensity (Heatwaves): IPCC reports confirm global warming is making heatwaves more common, longer-lasting, and more severe, particularly in India.
- Altered Coldwave Patterns: While global warming generally reduces cold days, climate change can also lead to more erratic, intense cold snaps or shifts in their geographical distribution.
- Exacerbation of Vulnerabilities: Climate change disproportionately impacts already vulnerable populations who have limited adaptive capacity (e.g., poor, marginalized).
- Cascading Impacts: Thermal extremes can exacerbate droughts, impact monsoon, and create new vulnerabilities.
Implications for Disaster Management:
- Proactive Planning: Greater emphasis on Heat Action Plans (HAPs) and Coldwave Action Plans as integral parts of state/district DM plans.
- Integration with Development: Embed thermal hazard management into urban planning, agriculture policies, and public health systems.
- Early Warning Systems: Continuous enhancement of IMD's forecasting capabilities and last-mile dissemination.
- Capacity Building: Training healthcare workers, awareness campaigns for vulnerable groups.
- Resilient Infrastructure: Green spaces in urban areas, climate-adaptive housing.
- Financial Mechanisms: Insurance products for crop losses due to thermal extremes (PMFBY).
Conclusion: Thermal hazards are escalating due to climate change, posing severe socio-economic challenges for India. A comprehensive, proactive, and climate-adaptive disaster management strategy that integrates public health, urban planning, and agricultural resilience is crucial for protecting vulnerable populations and safeguarding India's developmental gains.
Current Affairs and Recent Developments
Record Heatwaves in India (2023 Summer):
Several parts of India, particularly Northwest and Central India, experienced prolonged and intense heatwaves in summer 2023, with temperatures soaring to record highs in many cities. This highlighted the increasing frequency and intensity of thermal hazards due to climate change, reinforcing the urgency of Heat Action Plans. (Source: IMD, NDMA).
India's G20 Presidency and DRR (2023):
During its G20 Presidency, India emphasized the importance of early warning systems and resilient infrastructure in the G20 Leaders' Declaration. This directly supports efforts to combat thermal hazards through better prediction and adaptive measures. (Source: G20.org, NDMA).
National Framework for Climate Services (NFCS):
IMD, as part of MoES, is developing NFCS to provide climate services relevant to various sectors, including health and agriculture. This aims to strengthen early warning and long-term planning for heatwaves and coldwaves with climate change projections. (Source: IMD).
Focus on Urban Heat Island Effect:
Growing discourse and initiatives in Indian cities (e.g., Ahmedabad, Delhi) to mitigate the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect through increased green spaces, permeable pavements, and cool roof technologies, as part of urban resilience strategies against heatwaves. (Source: NITI Aayog, local municipal corporations).
Coldwave Spells in North India (Winter 2023-24):
Parts of North India (Delhi, UP, Bihar) experienced severe coldwave spells, accompanied by dense fog, leading to concerns about mortality among vulnerable populations and disruption of transport. This underlines the continued threat of coldwaves. (Source: IMD, local news reports).
UPSC Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Prelims MCQs:
1. (2023) Which of the following statements best describes the 'Urban Heat Island' effect?
2. (2020) 'Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana' (PMFBY) uses which of the following technologies for loss assessment? (Relevant for agricultural impact of thermal hazards)
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Mains Questions:
1. (2018) Discuss the contemporary challenges to disaster management in India. (15 Marks)
2. (2016) Evaluate the role of space technology in disaster management in India. (12.5 Marks)
Trend Analysis (Last 10 Years)
UPSC's questioning on Heatwaves & Coldwaves has seen an increasing focus, reflecting their growing impact due to climate change. The trend is towards analytical, policy-oriented, and climate change-linked questions.
Prelims Trend:
- Earlier: Rare or very general questions.
- Current Trend: Questions are more nuanced, testing the causes and impacts of thermal hazards, specific mitigation/preparedness measures (Heat Action Plans, IMD's role, public awareness), and the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. There's a strong emphasis on climate change implications (increased frequency/intensity) and recent events.
Mains Trend:
- Earlier: Could be a very small part of a broader question on climate change impacts.
- Current Trend: Questions are highly analytical and critical, requiring candidates to:
- Analyze socio-economic impacts (beyond mortality).
- Evaluate effectiveness & challenges of proactive measures (HAPs).
- Discuss climate change implications (frequency, intensity, spread).
- Address integrated planning (public health, urban planning, DM).
- Integrate current affairs heavily (case studies).
- Focus on adaptive strategies for vulnerable populations.
Overall, UPSC demands a comprehensive, practical, and policy-oriented understanding of thermal hazard management in India, emphasizing the critical role of proactive public health interventions, urban resilience, and climate change adaptation.