India’s Heatwaves: Crisis, Consequences, and the Call for Climate-Smart Action

Indian summers are getting hotter, but is it the heat or is it us?

Context: India is undeniably heating up. Heat waves are arriving earlier, lasting longer, and intensifying in ways that are fundamentally reshaping life, work, and public health across the country.

A Shifting Climate

• According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a heatwave is declared when temperatures in the plains hit 40°C or more, or 30°C in the hills, and remain 4.5°C or more above normal for at least two consecutive days. These conditions, once infrequent, are fast becoming the seasonal norm.
• Between 2010 and 2024, India’s cumulative heatwave days rose from 177 to 536, a staggering >200% increase. Heatwave days count events across all affected regions and may exceed the length of the summer in a single location.
• The 2025 summer began harshly, with heatwave conditions as early as February 27–28, and intensified through early April, before the monsoon arrived a week early, offering momentary relief.

Geography of Vulnerability

• India’s vulnerability is widespread. A CEEW report notes that 57% of districts — home to 76% of the population — face high to very high heat risk. The most vulnerable states include: Delhi, Maharashtra, Kerala, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
• Over the last four decades (1981–2022), India has seen a linear increase in extreme heat events, including landmark heat waves in 2013, 2016, 2019, 2022, and 2024. 
  • Notably, the number of very warm nights is rising faster than hot days, especially in urban centres, where concrete and asphalt absorb and retain heat — a phenomenon known as the urban heat island effect.
• Rapid urbanisation has intensified this effect. Between 2005 and 2023, built-up areas expanded rapidly, especially in Tier-II and Tier-III cities like Pune, Thoothukudi, Kolhapur, and Guwahati.

Heat and the Workforce: Economic Impact

• The economic consequences of extreme heat are already visible:
  • The International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2024 warned that over 70% of workers globally face excessive heat exposure.
  • India lost an estimated $100 billion due to heat-induced productivity losses.

Informal Sector at the Frontlines

• Informal workers — including farmers, construction workers, delivery partners, and street vendors — are disproportionately affected. 
  • A World Bank 2022 report states that 75% of India’s workforce (380 million people) depend on heat-exposed labour. Alarmingly, India may account for 34 million of the 80 million global job losses expected from heat stress.
  • In Delhi, informal workers experienced:
    • 40% lower net earnings during heatwaves in May–June.
    • Increased absenteeism, sleeplessness, and illness.
• In factories, manufacturing output is estimated to drop by ~2% for every 1°C rise in temperature (Dr. Somanathan, ISI). Higher productivity incentivizes employers to invest in cooling — a potential pathway to protect workers.

Agriculture and Rural India

• Heat doesn’t spare the countryside. In rural areas, agricultural workers often shift to non-farm jobs such as road construction and building work during lean periods. These jobs expose them to extreme heat without safeguards.
  • A 1°C rise reduces wheat yield by 5.2%.
  • Heatwaves during late rice growing seasons also hurt productivity.
• Livestock are also at risk, especially when temperature and humidity cross critical thresholds. While guidelines exist for animal protection, enforcement is poor, particularly for small and medium farmers.
• When heatwaves coincide with droughts or food shortages, their impact multiplies — threatening food security and livelihoods. Unseasonal heat events in early March or late October are also damaging, disrupting typical growing cycles.

Health, Mortality, and Underreporting

• From 2000 to 2020, 20,615 deaths were officially attributed to heatstroke in India. However, many more go unreported or are misclassified under broader causes such as cardiac arrest or respiratory failure, especially in rural or informal settings.
• This underreporting stems from:
  • Lack of real-time surveillance.
  • Absence of standardised death certification.
  • Gaps in medical access in remote or low-income areas.
• To address this, researchers use excess mortality analysis — comparing observed deaths during heat periods with historical averages. The Global Burden of Disease Study (2021) estimated ~155,937 heat-related deaths in India, accounting for both direct and indirect effects of high temperatures.

Institutional Response: Heat Action Plans

• India has begun responding through Heat Action Plans (HAPs), pioneered in cities like Ahmedabad, where implementation in 2014 led to 1,190 fewer deaths annually in the initial years.
• These plans include:
  • Short-term measures: water availability, cooling shelters, shaded areas, public awareness.
  • Long-term adaptation: urban greening, restoration of water bodies, passive cooling in buildings.
• Chennai has incorporated urban heat island mapping into its master plan, while cities like Bhubaneswar and Nagpur are expanding green cover and adopting rooftop reflectivity measures.
• However, rural India remains largely uncovered. No heat governance equivalent exists for villages, despite the fact that most vulnerable populations reside in rural areas. Local bodies like Gram Panchayats lack funding, trained personnel, and institutional support to tackle heat systematically.

Funding and Policy Integration

• States can access their State Disaster Management Fund for emergency heat response. However, experts argue for long-term investments via:
  • District Mineral Funds
  • Fifteenth Finance Commission allocations
  • Integration with schemes like MGNREGA, PM Awas Yojana, and National Health Mission.
• Innovations such as heatwave insurance are being tested, where workers pay small premiums and receive compensation when extreme heat halts work. However, implementation remains inconsistent.

Blending Tradition with Modernity

• India’s history holds valuable lessons. Traditional cooling techniques — mud homes, step-wells, lime plaster, jaalis, water-cooled courtyards — were not just cultural; they were climate-wise. 
• Practices like Navtapa (May 25–June 2) promoted light diets, hydration, and midday rest — aligning remarkably with modern climate science.
• Yet, post-liberalisation development overlooked these practices. Glass façades, concrete homes, and tight work schedules replaced solar-aligned, breathable, and adaptive lifestyles. Planning codes do not mandate passive cooling; real estate finance rarely supports traditional architecture.

Way Forward

• Immediate Actions:

• • • Roll out district-level heat action plans, urban and rural alike.
    • Identify heat hotspots, set up shaded rest areas, and ensure clean drinking water.
    • Launch multilingual, non-digital public awareness campaigns.

• Medium-Term:

• • • Integrate heat adaptation into flagship schemes like:
      • MGNREGA (adjusted work schedules)
      • PM Awas Yojana (cool roofing, natural ventilation)
      • National Health Mission (heat-related healthcare)

• Long-Term Transformation:

• • Revise building codes to favour passive cooling.
  • Institutional coordination between:
    • IMD, NDMA, SDMAs
    • Urban local bodies, rural panchayats
  • Support cooling infrastructure and climate-resilient designs.

Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more Valuable Content – TheStudyias

Download the App to Subscribe to our Courses – Thestudyias

The Source’s Authority and Ownership of the Article is Claimed By THE STUDY IAS BY MANIKANT SINGH