22-Dec-2022: NDMA and IMD are working with 23 States to develop Heat Action Plans

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today informed that National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and India Meteorological Department (IMD) are working with 23 States to develop Heat Action Plans.

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today regarding effect of Heat Waves on Livestock, Dr Jitendra Singh said, heat action plans are being developed in in the States prone to high temperatures leading to heat-wave conditions.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, as per studies, the stress induced due to the heat waves increases respiration and mortality, reduces fertility, modifies animal behavior, and suppresses the immune and endocrine system, thereby increasing animal susceptibility to some diseases.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, the Heat Action Plan is a comprehensive early warning system and preparedness plan for extreme heat events. The Plan presents immediate as well as longer-term actions to increase preparedness, information-sharing, and response coordination to reduce the health impacts of extreme heat on vulnerable populations. He added that as an adaptive measure, IMD in collaboration with local health departments have started heat action plan in many parts of the country to forewarn about the heat waves and also advising action to be taken during such occasions. Heat action plan became operational since 2013.

Heat wave is one of the severe weather phenomena for which IMD issues early warning. In the country, appreciable rise in maximum temperatures as well as heat waves are found to be more in the months of April, May & June. As an initiative IMD is issuing Seasonal Outlook for temperatures for the months of April, May & June in the last week of March for planning purpose. This outlook brings out the expected scenario of heat waves also during the period.

The seasonal outlook is followed by Extended Range Outlook issued on every Thursday for next two weeks. In addition to this, the forecast and the colour coded warnings for severe weather including heat wave warning are issued on daily basis for next five days with outlook for another two days.

IMD issues an additional bulletin on heat wave in the morning (8 a.m.) valid for 24 hours for supporting the planning of activities for the day and this bulletin is also disseminated to all concerned. All these bulletins are posted to IMD website also, on a special page created for Heatwaves.

Recent advancement made in Heat wave forecast and warning follow: -

• Heat Wave Monitoring and Forecasting Information on GIS
• Issue special heat wave & its impact bulletin (March to June) at 1600 hrs. IST by including impact of Minimum Temperature, humidity and wind.
• Heat Wave hazard analysis for entire country for four hot weather months (MARCH, APRIL, MAY & JUNE) considering the Maximum Temperature, Minimum Temperature, Humidity, Wind and Duration is completed. This will lead to identification of hazard scores based on different meteorological parameters aggravating impact of Heat Waves. These scores could in future be utilized as threshold to generate Heat Wave impact-based alerts for the specific locations.

The link for Heat Wave information web-page is https://internal.imd.gov.in/pages/heatwave_mausam.php

Recently IMD brought out web based online “Climate Hazard & Vulnerability Atlas of India” prepared for the thirteen most hazardous meteorological events, which cause extensive damages, economic, human, and animal losses. The same can be accessed at https://imdpune.gov.in/hazardatlas/abouthazard.html. The climate Hazard and vulnerability atlas will help state government authorities and Disaster Management Agencies for planning and taking appropriate action to tackle various extreme weather events. This atlas serves as a reference to IMD to issue impact-based forecast for various extreme weather events, including heatwaves.

15-Dec-2022: 5-G forest reform

The Ministry has taken various reform/initiatives for securing forest for growth and livelihood. The details are as follows:-

The Ministry has issued Wood Based Industries (Establishment and Regulation) Guidelines, 2016 and amendment dated 11th September 2017 to decentralize the regulatory processes concerning the wood based industries for the development of the sector in the country.

To promote cultivation of bamboo in non-forest areas and to achieve the objective of increasing the income of farmers and green cover outside forest area, the Ministry has amended the Indian Forest Act, 1927 to exempt Bamboo grown in non- forest area from definition of tree, and thereby doing away with the requirement of felling/transit permit for its transport and economic use.

For seamless movement of timber, bamboo and other minor forest produce, the Ministry has also launched National Transit Pass System on pilot basis for issue of online transit permits. This system will help in monitoring and keeping records of movement of timber and issue of transit permits for inter-state and intra-state transportation of timber and bamboo and other minor forest produce from private lands/ government/private depot.

The Ministry has developed web based Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applications PARIVESH portal (Pro-Active and Responsive facilitation by Interactive Virtuous and Environmental  Single-window  Hub), which  is  a  single-window  integrated  forest  and environmental management system for online submission and monitoring of the proposals submitted by the proponents for seeking Environment, Forest, Wildlife and Coastal Regulation Zone clearances from Central Government. It is a GIS based system and analytics platform that provides information to various stakeholders using Decision Support System functionality.

Further, e-Green Watch portal of the Ministry is an advanced technology based platform designed to facilitate automation, streamlining and effective management of processes related to plantations and other forestry works taken up under CAMPA fund. Forest Survey of India (FSI) carries out analysis of geo-spatial data (polygons) of various plantations uploaded by the State Forest Departments on e-Green Watch portal for accuracy of location, area and year of plantation.

Forest Survey of India has also developed Van Agni Geo-portal to provide user-friendly interactive viewing of the forest fire related data for continuous monitoring and tracking of large forest fires in near real-time basis. Van Agni Geo-portal serves as a single point source for the information related to forest fires in India.