Experts call for urgent action amid heatwaves, say tailored plan is necessary

As Mumbai sweats through increasingly brutal summers public health experts are sounding the alarm over the cityrsquos inadequate preparation for rising heatwaves While residentsmdashfrom delivery persons and construction workers to postmen traffic cops and senior citizens in slumsmdashstruggle to stay cool experts say Mumbai still lacks a cityspecific datadriven Heat Action Plan HAP to combat the threat of extreme heatDr Dileep Mavalankar the former director of the Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar and the architect of Indiarsquos first HAP in Ahmedabad emphasised that Mumbai must urgently formulate a comprehensive longterm strategy tailored to its unique coastal geography and dense urban populationldquoThere is an urgent need for cities like Mumbai to develop HAPs that are based on local climate demography and health datardquo said Dr Mavalankar ldquoThis includes appointing a dedicated nodal officer to coordinate implementation creating public awareness campaigns and issuing regular heat alerts not just on red alert days but also during orange and yellow alert daysrdquoHe pointed to Ahmedabadrsquos model where 15 years of temperature and mortality data were used to establish thresholds for issuing warningsmdash40degC for yellow 43degC for orange and 45degC and above for red These thresholds are now tied to realtime alerts shared with the India Meteorological Department IMDldquoMost cities including Mumbai are yet to systematically collect and correlate hospital admissions or mortality data with temperature Without that wersquore flying blind when it comes to understanding the real health burden of heatwavesrdquo he warnedIn the absence of this data Mumbairsquos current heat response has been largely reactive and fragmented Public messaging is minimal cooling infrastructure is nonexistent and many vulnerable communities remain unaware or unprotected during heat spellsCity needs lsquoHeat IndexrsquoDr Mavalankar highlighted that Mumbairsquos climate demands a different strategy from landlocked cities like Ahmedabad ldquoHumidity plays a major role here The temperature might not look alarming on paper but the discomfort and danger are realrdquo he saidHe recommended that Mumbai develop its own heat stress index combining temperature and humidity to better reflect lived conditions Institutions like the Indian Institute of Technology IIT Bombay could collaborate with local agencies to build this model similar to what IIT Delhi has done for the rest of the countryEmergency readinessWhile Ahmedabad has introduced emergency cooling measures like cold baths in hospitals and icepacked ambulances such provisions are missing in Mumbai ldquoHospitals here need to be trained and equipped to recognise and treat heatrelated illnesses quicklyrdquo Dr Mavalankar addedHe also called for ldquocooling zonesrdquo across the city shaded rest spots cool bus stops hydration points and heat shelters at public spaces and transit hubs These would provide muchneeded relief for those working outdoors or travelling long distances during peak heat hoursRethinking infrawork hoursDr Mavalankar stressed that cities must not only respond to immediate emergencies but also rethink their longterm infrastructure ldquoUrban greening heatresistant building materials and sustainable design must be central to future developmentrdquo he saidHe further recommended staggering work hours for outdoor workers including traffic police sanitation staff and dabbawalas to help them avoid peak heat exposure ldquoDuring extreme heatwaves or unusually hot days the local administrations should permit early shifts such as 8 am to 11 am and mandate rest breaks during the hottest parts of the day to reduce health risksrdquo Dr Mavalankar saidlsquoTime to actrsquoThe BMC and other civic bodies have yet to announce a standalone HAP even as Mumbai experiences longer and more frequent spells of extreme heat Experts believe now is the time to act ldquoHeat preparedness is not just about emergency response itrsquos about designing cities that can survive and thrive in a warming worldrdquo Dr Mavalankar said ldquoMumbai must move fast Climate change will not waitrdquoLubaina Rangwala associate director World Resources Institute WRI India said ldquoIn coastal cities temperatures higher than 35degC are dangerous because they surpass the bodyrsquos ability to cool off after exposure and result in severe illnesses and fatalities In this scenario across the country it is a national emergency that cities and districts implement the HAPs that are well monitored and tailored to the needs of those most vulnerablerdquoA 2021 study by researchers from Jamia Millia Islamia Osmania University and Aligarh Muslim University revealed that Mumbai lost 81 per cent of its open land 40 per cent of its green cover and nearly 30 per cent of its water bodies between 1991 and 2018 During the same period builtup areas doubled contributing to a 2degC rise in average temperature and intensifying the Urban Heat Island UHI effectThe study published in the Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing linked this shift to rapid unplanned urbanisation and the replacement of natural surfaces with concrete Professor Atiqur Rahman a coauthor noted that materials like concrete trap heat creating microclimates that worsen city temperaturesResearchers called for urgent urban greening better landuse planning and adherence to World Health Organization WHO and European Union guidelines for minimum per capita green space They also recommended rooftop and vertical gardening and community tree planting and discouraged glassheavy facades to reduce heat stress and restore environmental balance in the city ldquoRather than rushing to draft a separate HAP for the city itrsquos high time Mumbai focused on implementing what we already know needs to be donerdquo added RangwalaldquoAny HAP requires three key elementsmdashhazard analysis exposure analysis and vulnerability assessment Much of this groundwork was already laid out under the Mumbai Climate Action Plan MCAP in 2022 The broadlevel actions have been recommended and the urgent need now is implementation This means institutional shifts and departmentallevel changes We already understand the hazard the focus should be on acting not repeating the process with yet another plan We need a targetoriented approachrdquo she said10 hottest placesBetween April 10 and April 14 the districts of Nandurbar Akola and Chandrapur in Maharashtra consistently ranked among the top ten hottest locations in India highlighting the intense heatwave sweeping through the region On April 10 Nandurbar recorded a scorching 465degC making it the hottest location in the country that day Akola also featured prominently at the sixth position with 435degC On April 11 Akola retained its high rank at number two with 428degC Nandurbar did not appear in the top ten that dayOn April 12 the focus shifted to Chandrapur which topped the chart with 426degC while Khandwa bordering Maharashtra rounded off the list with 415degC Nandurbar and Akola were absent from the top ten but their temperatures remained high locallyOn April 13 Nandurbar once again surged to second place with 432degC just behind Barmer Akola ranked fifth at 424degC while Chandrapur was seventh with 422degC showcasing how multiple districts from Maharashtra dominated the heat charts Finally on April 14 Nandurbar was ranked fourth with 435degC Akola secured the fifth spot with 430degC and Chandrapur dropped out of the top ten by a small marginData IMD and Vagaries of the WeatherVoicesDr Dileep MavalankarFormer director Indian Institute of Public Health GandhinagarlsquoThere is an urgent need for cities like Mumbai to develop HAPs that are based on local climate demography and health data This includes appointing a dedicated nodal officer to coordinate implementation creating public awareness campaigns and issuing regular heat alertsrsquoLubaina RangwalaAssociate director World Resources Institute IndialsquoAny HAP requires three key elementsmdashhazard analysis exposure analysis and vulnerability assessment Much of this groundwork was already laid out under the Mumbai Climate Action Plan MCAP in 2022 Broadlevel actions have been recommended The urgent need now is implementationrsquoatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params