NHRC Demands Urgent Action Against Heatwave Dangers

The National Human Rights Commission has urged 11 Indian states to implement measures to protect vulnerable groups from escalating heatwave threats. The NHRC emphasizes urgent actions, based on NCRB data showing nearly 3,800 heat-related deaths from 2018 to 2022, to ensure the safety of underprivileged populations during heat waves.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called on 11 states to swiftly enact measures to safeguard those vulnerable to the current heatwave threats sweeping across India. In a recent statement, the NHRC stressed the importance of action, drawing on data from the National Crime Records Bureau that reported 3,798 heat-related fatalities between 2018 and 2022.

In letters addressed to the chief secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, the NHRC underscored the necessity for shelters, relief supplies, and adjustments to working hours. These recommendations are in line with the guidelines provided by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

The NHRC highlighted specific protective measures, such as ensuring public spaces have adequate ventilation, fans, and drinking water, and providing cool roof materials and ORS to at-risk communities. The Commission urged immediate steps to protect economically disadvantaged individuals, outdoor workers, children, the elderly, and the homeless who lack sufficient shelter and resources amid rising temperatures.

(With inputs from agencies.)