11-May-2022: Guidelines regarding precautions to be observed by schools to combat the ill-effects of the heat-wave

Ministry of Education today issued following guidelines regarding precautions to be observed by schools to combat the ill-effects of the heat-wave.

1. Modification in School timings and daily routine
   • School hours may start early and get over before noon. Timing may be from 7.00 AM onwards.
   • Number of school hours per day may be reduced.
   • Sports/other outdoor activities which expose students directly to the sunlight may be appropriately adjusted in the early morning.
   • School assembly should be conducted in covered area or in classrooms with reduced timing.
   • Similar care may be taken during dispersal after school is over.
2. Transportation
   • School bus/van should not be over-crowded. It should not carry students more than the seating capacity.
   • Drinking water and first aid kit should be available in the bus/van.
   • Students coming to school on foot/bicycle should be advised to keep their head covered.
   • Parents should be sensitised to pick-up the students themselves, to the extent possible, to avoid public transport and minimise their time out in the sun.
   • School bus/van may be parked in a shaded area.
3. Hydration
   • Students may be advised to carry their own water bottles, caps and umbrellas and use them when out in the open
   • School should ensure availability of sufficient potable water at multiple places preferably at temperature lower than that of surroundings.
   • Water cooler/earthen pots (pitchers) may be used for providing cold water.
   • In every period, teacher should remind students to sip water from their water bottles.
   • While going back home, schools must ensure that students are carrying water in their bottles.
   • Students should be made aware of the importance of proper hydration to combat the heat wave and advised to drink sufficient water at regular interval.
   • With increased hydration, use of washrooms may increase and schools should be prepared for it by keeping the washrooms hygienic and clean
4. Food and Meals
   • Heat can spoil food therefore hot-cooked meals under PM POSHAN must be served hot and fresh. In charge teacher may check the food before serving.
   • Children carrying tiffin may be advised not to carry food that can turn stale quickly.
   • Canteens in schools should ensure that fresh and healthy food is served.
   • Children may be advised to have light food during lunch/tiffin.
5. Comfortable classroom
   • School should ensure that all fans are functional and that all classrooms are properly ventilated.
   • Availability of alternate power back up may be arranged, if possible.
   • Curtains/blinds/newspaper, etc. may be used to stop the sunlight entering directly into the classroom.
   • If any local traditional practices are being followed by the school to keep the surroundings cool such as ‘khus’ curtains, bamboo/jute chiks etc., they may be continued.
6. Uniform
   • Students may be allowed to wear loose and light coloured cotton material dress.
   • Schools may relax norms regarding uniform such as neck ties.
   • Canvas shoes may be allowed instead of leather shoes.
   • Students may be advised to preferably wear full-sleeve shirt.
7. First-Aid facilities
   • Sachets of ORS solution, or salt and sugar solution to treat mild heat-stroke should be readily available in the schools.
   • Teaching and non-teaching staff should be trained to provide first aid to students in case of mild heat-stroke
   • Schools must ensure quick access to nearest hospital/clinic/doctor/nurse, etc. in case of heatstroke.
   • Essential medical kits should be available in school.
8. Do’s and Don’ts for students

Do’s& Don’ts regarding heat wave should be displayed at prominent places in the school. These may include the following:-

Do’s:

• Drink sufficient water- even if not thirsty
• Use ORS (Oral Rehydration solution), homemade drink like lassi, torani (rice water), lemon water, butter milk, etc. to keep yourself hydrated.
• Wear lightweight, light coloured, loose, cotton clothes.
• Cover your head by using cloth, hat or umbrella, etc.
• Stay indoor as much as possible
• If you feel faint or ill, see a doctor immediately

Don’ts:

• Do not go outside on an empty stomach or after consuming heavy food
• Avoid going out in the sun, especially in the afternoon if not required
• Avoid strenuous activities when outside in the afternoon
• Do not go outside barefoot
• Do not eat junk/stale/spicy food

9. Exam Centres:
   • Children may be allowed to bring their own transparent water bottle in the examination hall.
   • Examination centres should ensure availability of potable drinking water which is easily accessible to the candidates at the centres.
   • Examination Centres should ensure that the candidates are promptly supplied water when asked for at their seats in the examination hall
   • Examination halls may be provided with fans.
   • Students waiting area at the examination centre may be in a shaded/covered area with provision of water.
   • Linkage of examination centres should be made with local health worker and medical centres for any emergency.
10. Residential Schools; In addition to the above, residential schools may take the following additional measures:
    • Essential medicines for common ailments related with summer season should be available with Staff Nurse.
    • Students may be made aware regarding prevention of heat stroke.
    • Windows in the dormitories should be provided with curtains.
    • Lemon, butter milk& seasonal fruits with high water content should be included in the diet.
    • Spicy food should be avoided.
    • Continuous availability of water and electricity should be ensured in classrooms, hostels and dining hall.
    • Sports and games activities should be conducted in the evening.

7-Sep-2021: Three new heatwave hotspots in India put large population at immediate health risk

North-Western, Central, and further to south-central region of India are the new hotspot of intense heatwave events over the past half-century, said a study which found an increase in deadly Indian heat waves in recent years. The study also highlights the need for developing effective heat action plans in the three heatwave hotspot regions with a focus on different vulnerabilities among the inhabitants.

Heatwaves emerged as a deadly health hazard, claiming thousands of lives across the globe in recent decades, with episodes strengthening in frequency, intensity, and duration in the past half-century in India as well. This has caused severe impacts on health, agriculture, economy, and infrastructure. In such a scenario, it is extremely important to identify the most heatwave vulnerable regions of the country to prioritize immediate policy intervention and stringent mitigation and adaptation strategies.

A team of researchers led by Prof. R.K. Mall and including Saumya Singh and Nidhi Singh from the Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India-Mahamana Centre of Excellence in Climate Change Research (MCECCR) at Banaras Hindu University studied the change in spatial and temporal trends in Heatwaves (HW) and Severe heatwaves (SHW) over the past seven decades in different meteorological subdivisions of India. This work has been supported under the Climate Change Program of the Department of Science & Technology. The study published in the journal “International Journal of Climatology” links the association of HW and SHW with mortality over India.

The study showed a shift in the Spatio-temporal trend of HW events from the eastern region of Gangetic West Bengal and Bihar to North-Western, Central and further to south-central region of India. The research also observed an alarming southward expansion and a spatial surge in SHW events in the last few decades that may put a greater population at additional risk of heat stress in a region already characterized by low Diurnal temperature range (DTR), or the difference between the maximum and minimum temperatures within one day and high humidity. Importantly, the HW/SHW events were found to be positively correlated with mortality in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, highlighting that human health is highly susceptible to severe heatwave disasters.

With an ever-increasing extreme-temperature threshold, a heat resilient future is the need of the hour. Dense population with an intensive outdoor work culture calls for an equitable heat resilient mitigation and adaptation strategies covering each section of the society depending on their vulnerability. The study highlights the need for developing effective heat action plans in the three heatwave hotspot regions.

To mitigate future disastrous implications of exacerbated heat extremes and frame adequate adaptation measures in the wake of possible emergence of new hotspots, reliable future projections are needed. This motivated the research team consisting of Saumya Singh, Jiteshwar Dadich, Sunita Verma, J.V. Singh, and Akhilesh Gupta, and R. K. Mall to evaluate the regional climate models (RCM) over the Indian subcontinent to find the best performing RCM. These will help study the frequency, intensity, and spatial surge of heatwaves in the future. The study found models LMDZ4 and GFDL-ESM2M to be the best-performing ones in simulating heat waves over India in the present scenario, which can be reliably used for future projections as well. Thing study was recently published in an international journal, “Atmospheric Research”. The two models have laid the grounds for preparation for a heatwave resilient future.

29-Nov-2018: Lancet urges response to heatwave exposure surge

Indian policy makers must take a series of initiatives to mitigate the increased risks to health, and the loss of labour hours due to a surge in exposure to heatwave events in the country over the 2012-2016 period, the Lancet Countdown 2018 report recommends.

From 2014-2017, the average length of heatwaves in India ranged from 3-4 days compared to the global average of 0.8-1.8 days, and Indians were exposed to almost 60 million heatwave exposure events in 2016, a jump of about 40 million from 2012.

Heatwaves are associated with increased rates of heat stress and heat stroke, worsening heart failure and acute kidney injury from dehydration. Children, the elderly and those with pre-existing morbidities are particularly vulnerable.

Almost 153 billion hours of labour were lost globally in 2017 due to heat, an increase of 62 billion hours from the year 2000.

Observing that a recent report “places India amongst the countries who most experience high social and economic costs from climate change”, the study makes several recommendations. These include identifying “heat hot-spots” through appropriate tracking of meteorological data and promoting “timely development and implementation of local Heat Action Plans with strategic inter-agency co-ordination, and a response which targets the most vulnerable groups.”

The report prepared jointly with the Public Health Foundation of India also urges a review of existing occupational health standards, labour laws and sectoral regulations for worker safety in relation to climatic conditions.

The India Meteorological Department had reported that from 1901 to 2007, there was an increase of more than 0.5°C in mean temperature, with considerable geographic variation, and climate forecasts by research groups project a 2.2-5.5°C rise in temperatures in northern, central and western India by the end of the 21st century.

The number of hours of labour lost also jumped between 2000-2017 across India.

For the agriculture sector alone, this rose to about 60,000 million hours in 2017, from about 40,000 million hours in 2000. Overall, across sectors India lost almost 75,000 million hours of labour in 2017, from about 43,000 million hours in 2000.

The agriculture sector was more vulnerable compared to the industrial and service sectors because workers there were more likely to be exposed to heat.

The findings are significant for India as agriculture makes up 18% of the country’s GDP and employs almost half the population. A recent World Bank report on South Asia’s hotspots predicted a 2.8% erosion of the country’s GDP by 2050, accompanied by a fall in living standards due to changes in temperature, rainfall and precipitation patterns.

If the average global temperature rose by more than one degree Celsius from the present, India could “annually” expect conditions like the 2015 heat wave that killed at least 2,000, according to the ‘Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C,’ commissioned by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), last month.

Next week, the Conference of Parties — a compact of about 190 countries signatory to the UN treaties to address global warming — is set to begin talks in Katowice, Poland, to iron out a ‘rule book’ to implement the Paris Agreement of 2015. The agreement was a landmark accord, in which countries agreed to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by limiting the global temperature rise this century to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5°C.

Following criteria are used to declare heat wave:

1. Based on Departure from Normal:

Heat Wave: Departure from normal is 4.5°C to 6.4°C.

Severe Heat Wave: Departure from normal is >6.4°C.

2. Based on Actual Maximum Temperature (for plains only):

Heat Wave: When actual maximum temperature ≥ 45°C

Severe Heat Wave: When actual maximum temperature ≥47°C

To declare heat wave, the above criteria should be met at least in 2 stations in a Meteorological sub-division for at least two consecutive days and it will be declared on the second day.