Heatwaves as National Disaster
Context:
The 16th Finance Commission has recommended that heatwaves be notified as a national disaster in view of rising temperatures, increasing frequency of extreme heat events, and growing public health risks in India.
The recommendation comes amid concerns that existing Heat Action Plans are inadequate and largely limited to temporary relief measures such as advisories, water kiosks, and shaded public spaces.
The debate comes amid concerns that existing Heat Action Plans remain uneven in quality, poorly implemented, and inadequate to address long-term climate vulnerability and rising indoor heat exposure.
IMD Criteria for heat waves
About Heatwaves
Heatwaves are prolonged periods of abnormally high temperatures that adversely affect human health, livelihoods, agriculture, water resources, and infrastructure.
Declaring heatwaves as a national disaster could enable greater central funding, improved preparedness, stronger institutional coordination, and better compensation mechanisms.
At present, heatwaves are covered under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) but are not officially classified as a national disaster under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
Experts argue that India requires a long-term national cooling strategy focusing on:
Heat-resilient urban planning,
Workplace cooling standards,
Energy-efficient cooling technologies,
Passive cooling systems,
And climate-resilient infrastructure.
The issue is particularly important for outdoor workers, urban poor, elderly populations, and vulnerable communities lacking access to affordable cooling facilities.