With the rise in temperature levels posing significant challenges for Kerala, especially on the health front, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) is bringing out a heat action plan for the State. The Kerala State Heat Action Plan 2020 will be released shortly following a stakeholders’ meeting planned for this week, KSDMA officials said.
As its name suggests, the action plan will lay out guidelines and short and long-term strategies for tackling heat-related incidents. It will list measures to be adopted by government departments and agencies, District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMA) and general public for tackling heat-related health issues in humans and animals.
Dos and don’ts
The action plan will, among other things, specify first-aid measures, procedures for equipping hospitals, dos and don’ts for the public and identify groups vulnerable to heat incidents. It will also include summer-time care of animals which will primarily be the responsibility of the departments of forests, animal husbandry and dairy development.
In October 2019, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) had directed all States to prepare heat action plans. On its part, the KSDMA had already set the groundwork for it after discovering that 1,671 heat-related health issues were reported during the 2019 summer in the State.
Sunburn, sunstroke
This included 800 sunburn cases and 32 sunstroke cases. Heat-related incidents had also caused one death that year.
“The temperature regime across urban and rural Kerala is changing. The response to it largely involves an element of behavioural change also. The government is attempting to adapt our systems to tackle the changing heat regime. Though we have a standard operating procedure for drought, we do not have one for heat,” Sekhar L. Kuriakose, member secretary, KSDMA, said.
On another front, the KSDMA is ensuring the availability of accurate scientific data for issuing heat alerts. It will shortly equip all the 14 district collectorates with ultraviolet (UV) index meters for measuring solar UV radiation levels. The meters have been purchased and are undergoing tests.
Heat index updates
The KSDMA has also requested the India Meteorological Department to provide regular heat index updates. Heat index gives one an idea about how hot it actually feels when air temperature is combined with relative humidity.
