Finance panel rejected request to include extreme heat on natural disasters’ list
Cyclones, droughts, earthquakes, fires, floods, tsunamis, hailstorms, landslides, avalanches, cloud bursts, pest attacks, and frost and cold waves are on the list of disasters
The 15th Finance Commission considered the inclusion of more calamities on the notified list but did not find merit in expanding the scope of disasters, and hence “extreme heat” will not considered a natural disaster or calamity warranting financial assistance even as heatwave-related deaths were reducing due to “seamless weather prediction”, minister of state (independent charge) for earth sciences Jitendra Singh told Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Singh said cyclones, droughts, earthquakes, fires, floods, tsunamis, hailstorms, landslides, avalanches, cloud bursts, pest attacks, and frost and cold waves are on the list of disasters that warrant assistance under the National Disaster Response Fund and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). “The Commission in...its report had observed that the list of notified disasters eligible for funding from...SDRMF and National Disaster Response Mitigation Fund (NDRMF) cover the needs of the state to a large extent and thus did not find much merit in the request to expand its scope,” Singh said in response to Congress lawmaker Sukhdeo Bhagat’s question.
Bhagat sought state-wise details of the deaths due to heatwaves from 2013 and the steps being taken or proposed to deal with the increase in such severe events. He asked whether the government planned to declare heatwaves as a national calamity.
Singh said a state government can use up to 10% of the annual SDRF fund allocation subject to fulfilment of certain conditions and norms to provide immediate relief to the victims of natural events considered disasters within the local context even as they may not be on the centrally notified list. He added the increase in heatwaves was linked to climate change. “....annual temperature is increasing globally...the impact of the same is reflected in the increase in heatwaves in various parts of the globe, including India.”
There were unusually high heatwave days and warm nights this summer. Questions on heatwave mapping of the earth sciences ministry remain against this backdrop as it did not release death data for this and last year.
A Union home ministry report indicated 890 heat wave-related deaths in 2018, 1274 in 2019, 530 in 2020, 374 in 2021, and 730 in 2022.
In response to Janasena Party lawmaker Vallabhaneni Balashowry’s question, the earth sciences ministry claimed heatwave deaths have reduced. Balashowry asked how the government viewed Australia’s Monash University study published in the peer-reviewed medical journal PLoS Medicine on the severe impact of heat waves on India due to geographical, climatic, and socio-economic factors. He wondered whether it is true that India suffered the highest heatwave-related deaths globally accounting for 20% of 153000 mortalities reported annually since 1990. Balashowry asked whether it is true that the World Meteorological Organisation indicated 110 reported fatalities due to heatstroke in 2023 in India. He sought details of the remedial measures to address the issue.
Singh said the study published in PLoS Medicine was based on the daily deaths and temperature data from 750 locations in 43 countries. The article said that the main limitation of the study was the lack of data from regions such as the Arabian Peninsula and South Asia.
Singh cited a National Crime Records Bureau report and said the highest number of deaths (1908) associated with heatwaves in India occurred in 2015. He claimed the deaths have reduced since then due to seamless weather prediction of temperature, early warning alerts for the heatwave, and the implementation of the National Disaster Management Authority’s heat action plan.
Earth sciences ministry told Bhagat that India Metrological Department (IMD) has improved monitoring and early warning systems, helping minimise loss of life and property during extreme weather events, including heatwaves. “These include issuing seasonal and monthly outlook followed by extended range forecast of temperature and heatwave conditions; district-wise heatwave vulnerability...hot weather hazard analysis over India that includes daily temperature, winds, and humidity condition; heat index forecast for the entire country and impact-based forecast of heatwave conditions at district levels among others.”
IMD said northwest India this year braved the warmest June since record-keeping began in 1901 with a mean temperature of 31.73°C or 1.65°Cabove normal. The average maximum temperature was 38.2°C, nearly 2 degrees above normal.
East and northeast India recorded its warmest June in terms of nighttime temperatures. They recorded an average minimum temperature of 25.14°C, nearly 1 degree above normal. Compared to a normal of 3-4 days of heatwaves, parts of Indo-Gangetic plains, northwest India, central and north India recorded a range of 10 to 18 such days in June. Uttar Pradesh recorded 18 heat wave days, Bihar 13, Gangetic West Bengal 9, Delhi, Haryana 14, Punjab 11, and Himachal Pradesh 10 days.
Between April and June, 20 to 38 days of heatwaves were recorded in parts of east, north, and central India. Most frequent heat waves (20-38 days) were recorded in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, west and east Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Saurashtra, and Kutch, as per IMD. The deadly heat in northwest India killed at least 100 people.
An intense spell of humid heat (between April 5 and 7) was reported in April from east and southeast peninsular India, and Odisha and West Bengal between April 15 and 30. In May, Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, and parts of peninsular India faced an intense spell of heat (between May 1 and 7), Rajasthan between May 16 and 26. Nine to 12 days were classified as either a heat wave or a severe heat wave (with temperatures nearing 50°Con some days) in Delhi and the National Capital Region, Haryana, southwest Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab. Between May 16 and 26, five to seven days were classified as a heat wave, with temperatures between 44°C and 48°C.