Proactive measures by TS govt reduce heat wave fatalities in last 5 years

Proactive measures taken by State govt and the close association with agencies like IMD, TSDPS, UNICEF Hyderabad field office and other rganisations ensured a significant reduction in heat wave-related fatalities

Hyderabad: The State government is incorporating both traditional and existing technologies to mitigate the impact of heat wave condition in the State, according to Telangana State Heat Wave Action Plan 2021. The primary objective is to ensure that no fatalities occur among population most at risk during heat wave, and reduce related illnesses.

The forecast reports and weather data shared by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and Telangana State Development Planning Society (TSDPS) would be analysed and used for the purpose of heat wave action plan following National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) guidelines.

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The proactive measures taken by the State government and the close association with agencies like IMD, TSDPS, UNICEF Hyderabad field office and civil society organisations apart from hundreds of voluntary organisations and philanthropists ensured a significant reduction in heat wave-related fatalities from 541 in 2015 to nine in 2020.

Telangana experiences disasters of various scale, and its geographic and topographical contexts makes it extremely vulnerable to droughts, floods, hailstorms, fire, lightning and heat waves, and northern districts experience cold waves occasionally. The State is highly vulnerable to heat waves. Out of 589 mandals in the State, 568 are vulnerable to heat wave on different scales.

Of these mandals, three are in severe, 62 in critical and 187 are in semi critical situation as per the vulnerability analysis based on the data from TSDPS. Adilabad, Nirmal, Jagtial, Kumurambheem, Asifabad, Mancherial, Peddapalli, Karimnagar, Warangal, Mulugu, Khammam, Suryapet, Mahabubabad and Nalgonda districts are highly vulnerable to heat wave conditions.

Telangana State heat wave action plan was first prepared in 2016 as per High Court orders and guidelines issued by the NDMA. Based on regular inputs from NDMA and scientific institutions, the heat wave action plan is revised and updated in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. The Revenue (Disaster Management) initiated heat wave preparedness programmes for the year 2021 in association with other departments, TSDPS and UNICEF. Consultations with departments concerned were also organised in February.

It was communicated to district administrations to conduct orientation and plan for implementation of heat wave action plan. A request was also made to all departments concerned to submit suggestions for revision of heat wave action plan for 2021. Since 2018, it was proposed to send weekly reports on actions taken to mitigate heat wave conditions and also during exigencies.

In 2018 to 2020, with support from TSDPS, IMD, MCR HRD Institute and UNICEF, workshops and conferences were conducted with State and district-level officials on extreme weather conditions. Capacity building and orientation programmes at different levels of administration and community levels will be organised for the year 2021.

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