Wednesday, 20 August 2025
Wednesday, 20 August 2025
More than 3,700 people died from heat or sunstroke in India between 2018 and 2022, according to figures laid before Parliament by the science and technology ministry on Wednesday.
Citing National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, junior minister for science and technology Jitendra Singh told Parliament that heat-related deaths totalled 890 in 2018, 1,274 in 2019, 530 in 2020, 374 in 2021 and 730 in 2022, according to the Press Information Bureau.
Over the five-year period, Uttar Pradesh(508), Maharashtra(470), Bihar(467), Telangana(466) and Punjab(459), reported the highest number of heat-related deaths.
“During unusually hot episodes, deaths from different causes can rise significantly, with the elderly at greater risk than others,” the ministry told the Parliament.
Health impacts of heat waves, according to the ministry, include dehydration, cramps, exhaustion and heatstroke.
Officials also flagged a spike in cases of acute gastroenteritis and food poisoning, caused by faster spoilage of food in high temperatures, as well as an increase in anxiety, palpitations and behavioural changes linked to extreme heat.
The most vulnerable remain agricultural labourers, coastal community dwellers and people from below the poverty line (BPL) categories. The ministry noted they are at most risk because they work outdoors and have little access to cooling.
Heat waves are not included in the list of 12 centrally notified disasters eligible for National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) support, unlike cyclones, floods or droughts.
The fifteenth finance commission, while reviewing demands to expand the notified list, concluded that the existing categories “cover the needs of the State to a large extent” and did not recommend adding heat waves.
States have the option to use up to 10 per cent of their state disaster response fund allocation for providing immediate relief to victims of locally declared disasters, including heat events.
The ministry also clarified that it implements central sector schemes across the country, and allocations are not made state-wise. Funds are not directly released to states for implementation.
To address heat emergencies, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and allied research centres have stepped up forecasting and early warning systems, the ministry said.
Among the measures is Heat Action Plans (HAPs) which is in place across 23 heatwave-prone states, implemented by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the states.
Apart from this is, seasonal and monthly outlooks, along with extended-range forecasts of temperature and heatwave conditions, disseminated through multiple platforms including social media.
The IMD has also developed a web-based Climate Hazard & Vulnerability Atlas of India, covering 13 major meteorological events. The atlas identifies hotspots across rural and urban areas prone to extreme weather, supporting disaster management agencies in planning.
“This product is helpful in building Climate change-resilient infrastructure,” the ministry said.
The atlas is accessible on the IMD Pune website.
The data makes clear that India’s heat crisis is not confined to summer discomfort but represents a mounting public health emergency.
