The India Meteorological Department has warned that both average temperatures and the frequency of heatwaves are expected to rise across all climate scenarios.
| Photo Credit: File Photo
Telangana has followed in the footsteps of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, to officially recognise heatwaves as a ‘State-specific disaster’ and raised ex-gratia amount for victims’ families to ₹4 lakh. The move comes in the wake of the India Meteorological Department’s warning that both average temperatures and the frequency of heatwaves are expected to rise across all climate scenarios.
Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar, who issued the Government Order spelling out the steps in case of heatwave, said the move was driven by two key concerns. “Without heatwave being declared a disaster, many deaths were unaccounted for, thus leading to underreporting. Secondly, the affected families were getting a meagre ₹50,000 under aapatbandhu,” he added.
With rapid industrialisation, Telangana has witnessed a consistent rise in the number of high-temperature days. Between 2014 and 2023, Jagtial recorded 98 heatwave days, followed by Pedapalli and Mancherial with 91 each, Karimnagar with 77 and Adilabad with 71.
The IMD classifies a heatwave day as one where the temperature reaches at least 40°C with a deviation of 5–6°C from the normal, or persistently remains above 45°C.
“We also have prepared a district-specific heat action plan for the first time this year for all the districts and that will be more as a preventive measure whereas this G.O. is to ensure that deaths on account of heatwave is accounted for and families do not suffer,” informed Mr. Kumar.
A 2024 study of link between heatwaves and mortality of multiple Indian cities concluded that “we still observed an increased risk of mortality when using a 1-day heatwave definition as a proxy for IMD guidelines, highlighting the significance of even a single extreme heat day as a public health concern with relevant policy implications.”
Between 2000 and 2020, there were 20,615 deaths due to heat stroke, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data. There were 730 deaths in 2022 for which NCRB data is available. In 2021 (amid the COVID-19 pandemic), there were 374 heat-stroke deaths. According to IMD data, 459 persons died during the 2024 heatwave.
Incidentally, Kerala was the first to notify heatwave as a ‘State-specific disaster’ which Tamil Nadu followed in October 2024. The higher outgo for the ex-gratia would be in line with the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission that allows a State government to use up to 10% fund of the annual allocation of the State Disaster Response Fund for providing immediate relief to the victims of ‘State specific disasters’.
2024 was the hottest year on record, according to the IMD, with temperature of +0.65°C above the long-term average (1991-2020 period). “This marked the warmest year since nationwide records began in 1901, surpassing the previous highest temperature observed in 2016, which had an anomaly of +0.54°C,” the IMD states. This information has been cited as a reason for the action plan by the State government.
Published – April 16, 2025 12:36 am IST
