THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As Kerala braces for a scorching summer, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has come out with a slew of guidelines for preparing local heat action plans for civic bodies to mitigate the effects of extreme heat.
Even before the advent of summer, the state has been facing extreme heat this year. The daytime temperature has shot up by 1.5 to 3 degrees Celsius, prompting the state government to reschedule working hours and issue heat warnings in February itself.
It was in 2020 that the state came up with the first ever Heat Action Plan (HAP), a comprehensive strategy to prepare for extreme heat with focus on protecting vulnerable communities. Since then, the KSDMA has been bringing out HAPs every year with revisions based on the evolving climate crisis and heat conditions.
This year, the KSDMA has revised the HAP with a set of comprehensive guidelines to prepare action plans to ensure heat-resilient local bodies.
KSDMA member Joy Elamon said heat is emerging as one of the disasters that Kerala will be facing in the coming years. Scaling up preparedness at the grassroots is key to tackling this crisis, he said.
“We have prepared the guidelines. The local self-governments (LSGs) will put in motion some of the recommendations in the guidelines this year itself. Several short-term measures that can be taken to provide relief for the public have been proposed. All LSGIs will have a comprehensive local heat action plan ready by next year,” said Joy.
Mitigation plans to combat extreme heat events planned
The guidelines recommend a slew of long and short-term mitigation plans to combat extreme heat events, including heat waves. Cooling centres, shelters, resting areas for people working outdoors, identification of vulnerability groups, monitoring committee and nodal officer at local bodies, response team to check on the vulnerable population, early warning at the grassroots, emergency response teams are among some of the recommendations mooted by KSDMA.
Long-term measures
Developing green spaces to reduce the impact of urban heat island
Risk informed planning
Green roofing, using reflective material for new constructions
Water usage policy for combating drought-like situation
Heat reflective surface in public places, planting trees
Planting of indigenous trees in public places
Encouraging planting of shade trees in households
Discouraging public from concreting or using interlocks in the surrounding areas of houses
Inclusion of heat related projects in development plans of local bodies
Short-term measures
Cooling centres at major markets, junctions and bus stands. This must provide clean drinking water and ORS, along with other refreshments
Hotel owners, NGOs and youth groups should make available clean drinking water for travellers and general public
LSGIs should organise awareness programmes on the risks associated with extreme heat
Temporary shades and shelters at markets, traffic signals and other locations should be set up
LSGIs should issue guidelines for installing cool roofs and introduce people to such options through campaigns
Promotion of heat-reducing construction models, announce incentives, and tax reduction for people adopting such methods
Shelter facilities for homeless
A surveillance team by ASHA workers and other healthcare professionals to check on groups vulnerable to extreme heat including elderly, bedridden and mentally ill
Temporary resting centres should be set up for fishermen
Temporary rest facilities along major roads for online food and other delivery workers
