Indian cities most vulnerable to heat waves focus on short-term fixes: Report
New Delhi (PTI): Some of India's cities most vulnerable to future heat waves focus mainly on immediate responses while long-term measures remain rare, according to a study published on Wednesday.
The analysis by the Sustainable Futures Collaborative, a New Delhi-based research organisation, examines how nine major Indian cities -- Bengaluru, Delhi, Faridabad, Gwalior, Kota, Ludhiana, Meerut, Mumbai and Surat -- are preparing for the increasing threat of extreme heat.
These cities together account for over 11 per cent of India's urban population.
The report said that while all nine cities focus on short-term responses to heat waves, "long-term actions remain rare and where they do exist, they are poorly targeted".
Without effective long-term strategies, India is likely to witness more heat-related deaths due to more frequent, intense and prolonged heat waves in the coming years, the authors said.
"Many of the long-term risk reduction measures we focus on will take several years to mature. They must be implemented now, with urgency, to have a chance of preventing significant increases in mortality and economic damage in the coming decades," said Aditya Valiathan Pillai, Visiting Fellow at Sustainable Futures Collaborative and Doctoral Researcher at King's College London.
Most cities studied have adopted short-term measures such as ensuring drinking water access, adjusting work schedules and increasing hospital capacity before or during heat waves, according to the report which is based on interviews with city, district and state government officials responsible for implementing heat-related actions.
Key emergency responses are mainly driven by national and state disaster management and health authorities rather than heat action plans (HAPs). Since HAPs focus largely on long-term strategies, their weak implementation limits their effectiveness, the report said.
The authors said that these cities lack measures such as occupational cooling for workers exposed to extreme heat, insurance for lost wages, better fire management and power grid upgrades. Some initiatives, like tree planting and rooftop solar, do not target the people who need them the most.
While the health sector has taken steps such as training healthcare workers and monitoring heat-related deaths, other critical sectors, including urban planning, have not integrated heat concerns into their policies. The focus remains on treating heat impacts rather than preventing them, the report said.
It pointed out that cities manage short-term measures using existing budgets, but structural changes, such as urban cooling and infrastructure upgrades, require dedicated financial support.
The authors identified poor coordination among government departments, staff shortages, technical gaps and a lack of urgency about heat risks as major obstacles to sustained heat adaptation efforts.
They recommended that local governments use heat action plans to focus on long-term solutions, track their success and ensure they protect the most vulnerable areas.
States can use national and state disaster funds to reduce heat risks and invest in long-term solutions, they said.
The authors also suggested that if cities appoint Chief Heat Officers (CHOs), they must have enough authority and resources to address heat-related challenges. Otherwise, they will struggle like current heat officers.
They also recommended that India's 10 most heat-affected cities train officials responsible for implementing heat-related policies.
Every district facing serious climate risks should have permanent, well-trained disaster management staff to prepare for future heat waves, they added.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
