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As Delhi records the warmest night in 14 years, a large part of the country is burning, including Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Telangana.
According to former World Health Organisation (WHO) Chief Scientist, Dr Soumya Swaminathan its a right for a long-term solution for setting up a Heat Commission to protect lives and livelihoods. "It's the right time for India to set up a heat commission, a commission that will make recommendations on what should be the interventions that we have to put in place to protect lives and livelihoods...humid heat is actually a bigger threat to health, because the body is unable to cool itself down," said Swaminathan. Further speaking with ANI, she said, "A large part of India is very vulnerable to the impact of heat...the kind of temperatures we are seeing now are very close to the limit of human tolerability. We need a multi-sectoral response to this extreme heat, which is a threat to lives as well as livelihoods...it's not only the health centres which need to be prepared...beyond the health sector, we need action across multiple departments and ministries." "We need geography-specific definitions of heat wave, and we need heat warnings, and individualised heat recommendation guidelines, guidance to people...once you're into a heat stroke, then it can very rapidly become fatal," she explained. "Several people have already died of extreme heat, and we don't know the exact numbers, but we also know that many more millions of people are being impacted because they can't go to work, or their working hours have been shortened, or they have fallen sick." She said. Meanwhile, on Monday, urban local bodies have been directed to ensure the availability of drinking water, water kiosks, and cooling water facilities at public places, markets, bus stands, railway stations, and major intersections. Arrangements for temporary sheds and rest areas in crowded places have also been advised. The Power and Drinking Water Departments have been instructed to maintain an uninterrupted supply and arrange water tankers in areas facing water shortages. Workers and personnel engaged at outdoor worksites have been advised to limit working hours to morning and evening periods. Secretary, Disaster Management and Rehabilitation, Vinod Kumar Suman, has appealed to the public to avoid unnecessary outdoor movement during peak afternoon heat and to consume adequate amounts of water and other fluids to stay hydrated. (ANI)
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