IMD had forecast high temperature in Navi Mumbai where 14 died of heatstroke during public event

Karam Prakash

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New Delhi, April 28

Days after the heat stroke killed 14 people at a public event in Maharashtra, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) claimed to have already warned of the spiking temperature in the area on that day.

IMD Chief Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, when asked about if the IMD had given a forecast of high temperature in Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra) on April 16, said that they (state government) had asked for a forecast, and IMD had obliged. “IMD was asked about the forecast for the area, where the event took place. We had predicted 35 degrees Celsius temperature on that day,” he said.

Thousands of people had attended the event in the sweltering heat where social activist Dattatreya Narayan, alias Appasaheb Dharmadhikari, was presented the Maharashtra Bhushan award by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the presence of CM Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and other dignitaries.

IMD Chief Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra further said, “Whether there was a heat wave or not, impact on people was bound to happen as the temperature was high in the area having severe humidity.”

Adding further, Dr M Ravichandran, secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, said, “Mumbai is a very high humid area. 35 degrees temperature in Mumbai is intolerable due to high humidity.”

When asked about the government not taking appropriate action on the IMD’s forecast, Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, said, “Our job is to tell the forecast and we will continue to do that. It is the job of the government to take action on the ground.”

Visit to Sikkim was also forewarned

It is worth noting that IMD had warned the tourists about visiting north-eastern states, including Sikkim, to take necessary precautions. The officials had apparently issued an advisory asking tourists to take ‘extra care’ and avoid their visit to Sikkim. The visitors, however, ignored the warning and an avalanche killed seven tourists there.