Plan for an Early Summer and Extreme Heat in India

📌 Summary:

• Context: Extreme heat is no longer a May-June phenomenon; April weather now showing scorching summer conditions; 11+ Indian states under heat wave as of early May 2026
• Centre issued heat advisory to states: shift work hours, mandatory rest breaks, cooling arrangements for outdoor workers; hospitals to set up dedicated heatstroke units, stock ORS, train rapid-response staff
• Most states have Heat Action Plans (HAPs) but these are non-enforceable; monitoring and accountability mechanisms weak
• 16th Finance Commission (submitted report this year) recommended heat wave be notified as a national-level disaster to enable states to access NDRF
• Currently, states can use up to 10% of SDRF for heat relief — limited funding
• Over half of India's districts are heat-stress prone (Centre for Energy, Environment and Water study)
• Urban heat island effect: concrete/asphalt stores heat by day, releases at night; disproportionately impacts low-income communities in dense urban settlements
• Solutions proposed: Make heat action plans enforceable, declare heat wave a national disaster, expand green cover, promote heat-proof urban design, shift to long-term adaptation strategies

📌 Prelims Facts:

• IMD defines heat wave: temperature >= 40C in plains, or >= 5C above normal
• SDRF = State Disaster Response Fund; NDRF = National Disaster Response Fund
• Centre for Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) = independent research institution, New Delhi
• 16th Finance Commission submitted its report in 2026