CHENNAI: With Tamil Nadu heading towards a high-octane election season, public health experts have called for standard operating procedures (SOPs) for managing large public gatherings during the summer, warning that heat exposure could pose serious risks to voters and political workers.
Former WHO chief scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan said authorities must move beyond advisories and institutionalise heat safety protocols. She stressed on the need for detailed SOPs covering crowd management, medical preparedness, hydration and timing of events.
Swaminathan also told TNIE that she would write to the National Disaster Management Authority and the State Disaster Management Authority urging close monitoring during the election period, particularly since Tamil Nadu has already declared heat as a state disaster.
“We know that heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense. Large gatherings in peak afternoon hours significantly increase the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke, particularly among the elderly and those with underlying conditions.
In 2024, during an airshow, six people died of heat-related causes in Chennai, which show the dangers of mass outdoor events during peak heat,” she said, adding that simple administrative measures like rescheduling events, ensuring shade, water and medical readiness can prevent avoidable health emergencies. Environmental group Poovulagin Nanbargal has formally written to Chief Election Commissioner seeking urgent safeguards.
In the letter, its coordinator G Sundarrajan cautioned that Tamil Nadu has already been witnessing temperature anomalies of 2-3 degrees Celsius above normal in several places and warned of heightened heat stress risks during the campaign period.
“We demand that open-air political campaigns should not be allowed between 11 am and 3 pm,” Sundarrajan said in the representation, adding that drinking water, ORS, shade and first-aid facilities must be made mandatory at rallies and polling stations.
He pointed to recent heat-related casualties during elections elsewhere in India and said preventive action is critical. “People waiting in long queues outside polling booths and attending rallies may be exposed to severe thermal stress. Without proper arrangements, the risk of fainting, seizures and even death increases,” he said. The APCC outlook suggests India could face conditions similar to 2023, when El Nino contributed to a deficient southwest monsoon and drought in at least 25% of the country.