Centre tells states to be prepared to meet challenges of heat wave, forest fires

New Delhi, June 6

The Centre on Thursday stressed the need for states to be better prepared to meet challenges related to heat wave and forest fires, ensure no loss of life and to minimise damage.

At a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba also gave an assurance to the states and Union territories that the central ministries and departments are closely engaging with them to ensure optimum preparedness and for implementing timely mitigation and response measures, according to an official statement.

The issue of heat wave and forest fires was discussed at a meeting of the NCMC, chaired by the cabinet secretary who took stock of the preparedness of the central and state governments.

Chief secretaries of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Odisha, Delhi, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, and senior officials from Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh also attended the meeting through video-conferencing.

Top officials of the central government also attended the meeting.

The cabinet secretary observed that states and Union territories need to be better prepared to meet the associated challenges related to heat wave and forest fires to ensure no loss of life and to minimise damage. He stressed the importance of preparatory measures as outlined by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the statement said.

The NDMA and the MoEFCC made detailed presentations on current situation of heat wave and forest fires respectively including steps being taken to deal with them, across the country.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said 10-22 above normal heat wave days were recorded in different parts of the country between April and June.

It was also said that as per forecast for the month of June, above-normal heatwave days are likely over most areas of Northwest India and neighbouring areas from north Central India. This year, the monsoon is likely to be normal and above normal in most parts of the country. Regular alerts on heat waves are being sent by IMD.

The NDMA said a series of preparatory meetings have been conducted, starting from October 2023, by central ministries and departments and state governments.

Advisories have been issued to states to activate control rooms, enforce SoPs for heat wave, ensure drinking water availability, preparedness of health facilities including availability of essential medicines and ORS and uninterrupted power supply.