NEW DELHI: The Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal has taken suo motu cognisance of the escalating heatwave crisis in India and issued notices to several ministries and agencies, seeking action plans to mitigate the impact of heatwaves.
The Tribunal observed that rising temperatures are severely affecting public health, agriculture, water availability, productivity, wildlife and the overall economy.
Citing recent data from the India Meteorological Department, the NGT noted that temperatures have soared as high as 48°C in Banda, Uttar Pradesh, while Delhi and other regions continue to face severe heatwave conditions.
The Bench, comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Chairperson, and Dr Afroz Ahmad, Expert Member, emphasised that heatwaves have become one of India’s most under-recognised environmental disasters, affecting urban and rural populations differently.
The Tribunal pointed out that urban areas experience intensified heat due to dense concrete structures, reduced vegetation, vehicular emissions, industrial activities and high energy consumption. In contrast, rural areas suffer from prolonged outdoor exposure, limited cooling infrastructure and a lack of institutional support.
The NGT stressed the urgent need for region-specific climate adaptation strategies, high-resolution thermal mapping and remote sensing, improved short-term and seasonal weather forecasting, open-access climate and geospatial data, school and community-based weather monitoring initiatives, and research on heat risks and environmental impacts.
The Tribunal noted that increasing temperatures linked to climate change and human activities raise significant environmental concerns under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
As a result, the NGT has included several central ministries, the Central Pollution Control Board and multiple state governments, including Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, among others.
The respondents have been directed to submit their responses and action plans to the Tribunal through affidavits. The NGT has scheduled the next hearing for August 19, 2026.