National Human Rights Commission on Tuesday urged 21 states and Delhi to take advance measures to protect vulnerable groups as heatwaves intensify.
The panel warned that the elderly, children and infants face the highest health risks, while extreme heat also threatens livelihoods and raises fire hazards.
With temperatures crossing 40 degrees Celsius in several regions, including Delhi, the NHRC called for immediate preparedness and relief action.
The Commission has observed that the "rise in the frequency, duration and intensity of heatwaves, disproportionately affects the marginalised, economically weaker sections, outdoor workers and the homeless due to the lack of adequate shelter and resources".
The states are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
Therefore, the NHRC, in a letter to the chief secretaries of these states and the Union Territory of Delhi, has emphasised the urgent need for integrated and inclusive measures.
Highlighting the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data on the reported deaths of about 3,712 people in India due to heat or sunstroke between 2019-23, the Commission urged them to plan and facilitate seamless implementation of relief measures as per their existing standard operating procedures or guidelines issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to mitigate the impact of heatwaves and prevent casualties, it said.
The NHRC called for consolidated action taken reports from the districts at the state or UT level, the statement added.