Punjab, Haryana experienced huge increase in heat wave incidents in 2022, shows government data

Tribune News Service

Vijay Mohan

Chandigarh, February 9

With climate change and global warming sweeping the globe, the agrarian states of Punjab and Haryana witnessed a massive increase in the number of heat waves last year. This has a direct impact on the health and psychology of people.

In 2022, Punjab and Haryana experienced 24 days of severe heat wave or heat waves as compared to only two such days in 2021, according to data shared with Parliament by the Ministry of Earth Sciences on February 9.

In 2020, Punjab and Haryana had experienced one and three days of severe heat wave, respectively. Several other states such as Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh also experienced an unusually high number of heat wave days in 2022, the ministry’s data reveals.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a heat wave is considered if the maximum temperature of a station is 40 degrees Celsius and above for plains and 30 degrees Celsius and above for hilly regions.

Based on departure from normal temperature, a heat wave is considered if the temperature is above normal by 4.5 to 6.4 degrees and a severe heat wave is considered if the temperature is above normal by 6.4 degrees or more. Heat waves in India occur mainly during March to June and in some cases even in July.

“Abnormal temperature events can impose severe physiological stress on the human body as the body operates best within a fairly normal temperature range. There is a marked relationship between human mortality and thermal stress. During unusually hot episodes, deaths from different causes can rise significantly with the elderly at greater risk than others,” the Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Jitendra Singh stated in the Rajya Sabha today in response to a question by MP Dr Sumer Singh Solanki.

Four common heat health impacts resulting from excessive exposure to heat waves include dehydration, cramps, exhaustion and heatstroke. It is also learnt that there is a sharp rise in the number of cases of acute gastroenteritis and food poisoning due to spoilage of food and reduction of its shelf life due to high temperatures.

There is also a rise in the number of cases of anxiety, palpitations, nervousness and behavioural change linked to extreme temperature rise. The occupational profile of most of the victims was ascertained as agricultural labourers, coastal community dwellers and people living below poverty level with mostly outdoor occupations, the minister stated.

According to the Ministry, the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report - "Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis", has said that the global mean concentrations of anthropogenic aerosols and green-house gases, which are the drivers of climate change, have increased in South Asia region which will result in more intense and frequent increase in the heatwaves and humid heat stress during the 21 century.

A recent book, Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region, published by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, states that the rise in temperature is largely due to increase in greenhouse gases, aerosols and changes in land use and land cover. Due to this, the all India averaged annual frequency of warm days and nights have increased, and cold days and nights have decreased since 1951, Parliament was told.

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