Heat wave had emerged as a major killer among other natural disturbances due to the impact of climate change, said Ajit Tyagi, president, Indian Meteorological Society and former Director General, Indian Meteorological Department, New Delhi.
Delivering the keynote address at the international conference on “Environment and Health In Changing Climate” organised by the Department of Environmental Biotechnology, School of Environmental Sciences, Bharathidasan University, here on Wednesday, Mr. Tyagi said heat wave claimed about 3,000 lives in the country every year. It had seen gradual increase year by year. In May, 2010, the heat wave claimed 310 lives on a single day in Gujarat. About 800 people succumbed to disastrous heat wave in a week. Change in climate was attributed to the heat waves and its impact on humans.
Going by the recent trend, he said temperature would soar further in both North and South India in the forthcoming years. Hence, there was a need to alert more effectively the general public. Similarly, the authorities concerned and scientists should evolve steps to tackle the hazards of heat waves and humidity episodes.
Mr. Tyagi further said though there had been fluctuations in rainfall pattern over the years, it was found out that number of rainy days in a year had been decreasing gradually. However, the number of heavy rainfall days was increasing. It meant that it was causing sudden flood, breach of tanks, ponds and water bodies thereby impacting the overall functioning of water management. The impact of the change in rainfall pattern had to be studied precisely so as to formulate methods to face challenges posed by climate change.
Thanks to the advancements in the meteorological science, he said that the Meteorological Department was able to forecast for seven to ten days as against two to three to days till a decade ago. Moreover, it had evolved mechanism to provide forecast data on city, district and region specific.
C. Thiruchelvam, Registrar, Bharathidasan University, inaugurated the conference.
R. Babu Rajendren, Head, Department of Environmental Biotechnology and School of Environmental Sciences, Muthamil Selvan, Research Professor, Pohang University of Science and Technology and others spoke.
