THE CONTEXT: On May 29, the Mungeshpur automatic weather station north of New Delhi recorded a maximum of 52.9°C. While the India Meteorological Department has since suggested that the station’s thermistor may be faulty, the country’s north has suffered scorching weather. After the recording was reported, New Delhi’s Water Minister imposed a fine of ₹2,000 on those washing vehicles with hoses, allowing water tanks to overflow, and said 200 teams would monitor for wastage.
ISSUES:
- Faulty Temperature Recording and Climate Change Attribution: The Mungeshpur weather station recorded an extreme temperature of 52.9°C, which the India Meteorological Department (IMD) suspects may be due to a faulty sensor. Despite this, the region is experiencing severe heat, often attributed to climate change. However, it is argued that blaming climate change alone is insufficient, as it does not lead to actionable solutions at the local level.
- Water Supply and Management: New Delhi’s Water Minister imposed fines for water wastage and deployed 200 teams to monitor water use. However, these measures are inadequate for a city of New Delhi’s size and do not address the root issues, such as ensuring all residents have legal water connections and managing water supply from neighboring states like Haryana.
- Heat Response Mechanisms: The city’s heat action plan appears to lack provisions for external factors like water availability from neighboring regions and illegal water connections. The heat response plans should include long-term measures to ensure resilience against high temperatures, such as maintaining emergency water reservoirs and conducting year-round checks for water wastage.
- Infrastructure and Urban Planning: To cope with extreme heat, passive cooling measures and better urban planning are needed. This includes traditional architectural methods, shaded pedestrian corridors, and incentivizing air-conditioned public transport rather than shutting down schools and offices during peak heat.
- Accountability and Governance: Governments must ensure residents can cope with extreme heat. Comprehensive and proactive measures are needed, such as surprise checks for water wastage throughout the year and improving the distribution system to prevent tampering to ensure the city’s infrastructure can handle extreme weather conditions effectively.
THE WAY FORWARD:
- Implementing Passive Cooling Strategies in Urban Design: Incorporate passive cooling techniques in building designs and urban planning to reduce heat gain and enhance natural ventilation. This includes using materials with high thermal mass, green roofs, reflective roofs, and strategic shading. Ahmedabad has implemented passive cooling strategies in its Heat Action Plan, including cool roofs and increased green cover to mitigate urban heat island effects and reduce indoor temperatures.
- Enhancing Public Transport with Air-Conditioning: Incentivize air-conditioned public transport to provide a comfortable and relaxed commuting option, reduce reliance on private vehicles, and mitigate heat exposure. Ljubljana, Slovenia, experienced an 18.5% increase in public transport use after implementing smart ticketing and improving public transport integration.
- Developing Comprehensive Heat Action Plans: Create and implement robust Heat Action Plans (HAPs) that include early warning systems, public awareness campaigns, and long-term infrastructural changes such as cool roofs and increased green cover. North Macedonia Heat Health Action Plan consists of a heat health warning system, cross-government coordination, and public health interventions to mitigate the impacts of heat waves.
- Establishing Water Management Systems for Heat Resilience: Develop water management systems that include emergency reservoirs, tamper-resistant distribution systems, and year-round monitoring to ensure adequate water supply during heat waves. Thessaloniki, Greece, has upgraded its bioclimate by installing water evaporation systems, creating pedestrian networks, and planting trees excellently during heatwaves.
- Creating Shaded Pedestrian Corridors and Green Spaces: Develop shaded pedestrian corridors and increase urban green spaces to relieve heat and encourage walking and outdoor activities. Trnava, Slovakia, transformed neglected open spaces into a green area with trees and a fountain, providing relief during heatwaves and enhancing outdoor thermal comfort.
THE CONCLUSION:
Governments are answerable to the terms on which they expect people to cope with the heat. Instead of shutting schools and offices to avoid peak heat, as many action plans stipulate, governments should facilitate cooling by (traditional) architectural methods, set up shaded pedestrian corridors, and incentivize air-conditioned public transport. Such comprehensive measures are essential to ensure life can go on irrespective of the ambient temperature.
UPSC PAST YEAR QUESTIONS:
Q.1 What is water stress? How and why does it differ regionally in India? 2019
Q.2 Identify the causes of the formation of heat islands in the urban habitat of the world. 2013
Q.3 A water harvesting system is the ideal solution for depleting groundwater resources in India.” How can it be made effective in urban areas? 2018
MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION:
Q.1 Discuss the multifaceted causes of extreme heat in urban areas and evaluate the effectiveness of New Delhi’s current measures to address these challenges. Suggest long-term strategies that could be implemented to mitigate the impact of extreme heat and ensure sustainable water management in the city.
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