Almost 200 governments from across the globe are scheduled to meet in Paris later this year to try and sign a deal to limit global warming to prevent floods, droughts, heat waves and rising sea levels blamed on rising emissions of greenhouse gases.
Heat-related casualties
That’s at the macro level. Closer home in Andhra Pradesh, the government has apparently failed to initiate even small-scale measures to ward off heat-related casualties that have become a regular phenomenon in the last few years.
The dreaded heat wave continues to claim hundreds of lives causing alarm across the State.
Sweltering summers
“The culture of preparing for heat stress does not exist here. The city of Vijayawada sources its name from heat (blazewada). Heat is not new here but the growing intensity of heat is a major cause of concern. We do precious little in terms of preparedness to counter the sweltering summers here,” says Mr Vikas Gora, a humanitarian and emergency management practitioner and a freelance international consultant in climate risk management.
Deforestation
Born in Vijayawada and currently based in Delhi, Mr. Gora attributes the current ecological chaos to deforestation.
“Just walk into the campus of either Andhra Loyola College or the Maris Stella College and you feel variance of at least two degrees in the temperature.”
Sociological perspective
“Green belt culture, which is missing here, can help to a certain level. But every inch of land is being sold to raise concrete jungle thanks to the buzz created by the new capital. The talk of sapling plantation is eye wash. You cut the existing trees and talk of a fresh plantation drive. If the heating up of our surroundings is any indication, we need to gear up to counter serious problems from a sociological perspective,” he warns.
Take for instance the Middle East, parts of which reel under extreme heat wave conditions but the authorities have laid down a set of norms that are strictly adhered to.
“The industry there follows a flag system. A black flag indicates that heat is excessive and workers should not work and if it’s a red flag, you are allowed to relax at regular intervals. Heat stress is a serious issue there and multinationals operating units there do not compromise on stipulated norms.”
Heat stress
“The government here does not have a strategy to address heat stress. We do not have heat bulletins; a procedural system is missing. Heat stress is connected to people’s well being and so a greater degree of seriousness is needed to handle the issue,” Mr Vikas Gora says.
Green belt culture, which is missing here, can help to a certain level. The talk of sapling plantation is eye wash.
Vikas Gora
Humanitarian and emergency management practitioner
