NGT Requests Government Response on Nationwide Heatwave Challenges

The National Green Tribunal has called upon the central government and various states to respond to the rising heatwave conditions impacting health, learning, and productivity across India. The Tribunal emphasizes the need for region-specific strategies to mitigate the effects of extreme heat.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a directive to the central government and multiple states, seeking their input on the increasingly severe heatwave conditions affecting vast regions of India. This comes in response to escalating maximum temperatures that threaten public health and economic productivity.

The Tribunal took suo motu cognisance of a report highlighting that heatwaves, despite often lacking dramatic visuals, constitute a significant and under-recognized disaster. Records from the India Meteorological Department report temperatures reaching up to 48°C in Banda, Uttar Pradesh, with persistent heatwave conditions in Delhi this May.

A call was made for detailed responses ahead of the hearing set for August 18, aimed at developing both short-term and long-term strategies to manage rising temperatures. This includes a focus on differentiated urban and rural impacts, underscoring the need for tailored adaptation measures and climate research.

The NGT has engaged a range of ministries and regional governments, advocating for informed policy-making supported by open-access data and comprehensive climate impact research to tackle these challenges as temperatures are expected to climb annually, affecting critical resources like water.