18 Indian states have a heat action plan (HAP) in place, but the 100 heatwave-related deaths in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in the past five days demonstrate that some plans are not being implemented. Only some HAPs acknowledge parameters such as the heat index value, urban heat island effect and UV index, whilst few assess vulnerability at a localised level, leading to a ?high risk of misdirected efforts?, according to the Centre for Policy Research. Among the most vulnerable populations are those exposed to high humidity levels, whilst coordination between agencies responsible for implementing HAPs is often patchy. | Latest News India
More than Rs 13.62 crore were spent on the event, but no thought was spared for the lakhs of people who would be forced to sit in an open ground, with the sun fiercely beating down on them.
Navi Mumbai, the city where 12 people died due to heatstroke after attending an award function, has no observatory of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on the basis of which local weather alerts can be issued.
The IMD had forecast that the temperature in Kharghar could reach 34-35 degrees Celsius, based on the data from its Santacruz observatory located 35 km away, while the on ground the temperature rose to 38 degrees Celsius.