Scorching summer in store, Kerala goes for local heat action plans

As Kerala braces for a scorching summer, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has come out with a slew of guidelines for preparing local heat action plans for civic bodies to mitigate the effects of extreme heat.

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It was in 2020 that the state came up with the first ever Heat Action Plan (HAP), a comprehensive strategy to prepare for extreme heat with focus on protecting vulnerable communities. Since then, the KSDMA has been bringing out HAPs every year with revisions based on the evolving climate crisis and heat conditions.

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"We have prepared the guidelines. The local self-governments (LSGs) will put in motion some of the recommendations in the guidelines this year itself. Several short-term measures that can be taken to provide relief for the public have been proposed. All LSGIs will have a comprehensive local heat action plan ready by next year," said Joy.

Mitigation plans to combat extreme heat events planned

The guidelines recommend a slew of long and short-term mitigation plans to combat extreme heat events, including heat waves. Cooling centres, shelters, resting areas for people working outdoors, identification of vulnerability groups, monitoring committee and nodal officer at local bodies, response team to check on the vulnerable population, early warning at the grassroots, emergency response teams are among some of the recommendations mooted by KSDMA.

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