KS Hosalikar, head of climate research and services, IMD, said they have identified two areas for installation of radars which would suit the various parameters needed to install radars.
The heat action plan will be implemented in three phases: Phase 1 (pre-heat season February and March) is dedicated to developing early warning systems and a communication plan for issuing alerts to the general public, healthcare professionals, and voluntary groups (caregivers)
India reported 706 heatwave incidents from 1971-2019 which claimed more than 17,000 lives, according to a paper authored by M Rajeevan, former secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, along with scientists Kamaljit Ray, S S Ray, R K Giri and A P Dimri. A study by the Indian Institute of Technology-Gandhinagar says India could witness a staggering 30-fold increase in severe heat waves by 2100. A 75-fold rise is predicted under a business-as-usual scenario.
Delhis new heat action plan also suggests creating water points and providing oral rehydration solution (ORS) at construction sites, bus stops, and other public places.
The groups vulnerable to extreme heat according to the plan include young children, pregnant women, lactating mothers, individuals aged 60 and above, families living below the poverty line with inadequate housing, infirm and isolated individuals, those with pre-existing medical conditions or on specific medications, people with limited mobility or impaired thermoregulatory capacity, and individuals engaged in outdoor occupations.