A Fiery Wake-Up Call

It is only early April, yet parts of northern India are already baking under extreme heat. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert across states like Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, warning of temperatures exceeding 40° C. While the alert warns that the heat is tolerable, it poses moderate health risks to infants, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses. But let's be honest — there is nothing “moderate” about what is unfolding. This is not just an uncomfortable summer. It is a signal of a climate crisis we are failing to confront head-on.

The very fact that heatwaves were officially recorded in Goa and Maharashtra in February — a month the IMD still classifies as “winter” — should ring loud alarm bells. When 31 States and Union Territories report night-time temperatures above seasonal norms in what should be the cooler months, it’s no longer a seasonal variation; it’s a structural shift. Scientists have been warning us for years that global warming would bring more frequent and more intense heatwaves. That future is no longer distant — it is here.

What’s more disturbing is not the heat itself, but our lack of preparedness. A recent study by the Sustainable Futures Collaborative exposed a glaring institutional failure: nine Indian cities were found to have no long-term heat action plans. Instead, they continue to rely on temporary fixes — supplying water tankers, modifying work hours, or ramping up hospital beds — when lives are literally on the line. This is not disaster management; it is disaster denial.

India cannot continue to treat heatwaves as fleeting anomalies. Like floods and earthquakes, extreme heat must be declared a national disaster category that demands year-round planning and infrastructure overhaul. Affordable cooling devices might seem like a quick fix, but their increased use also accelerates ozone depletion and worsens climate outcomes in the long run. What's urgently needed is investment in passive cooling solutions — green buildings, shaded public spaces, and extensive urban tree cover — particularly in slum areas and low-income settlements where thermal comfort is a luxury.

Moreover, climate resilience cannot be built without protecting the livelihoods of vulnerable populations. Daily-wage workers lose income on unbearably hot days, and children suffer heat stress in poorly ventilated schools. Where is the insurance coverage for these risks? Where are the emergency cooling shelters, the local heat island maps, or the robust electricity grids capable of sustaining heat-fighting measures?

India must urgently embed a comprehensive heat mitigation plan within its broader National Adaptation Plan. With COP30 in Brazil around the corner, this is an opportunity for India to demonstrate global climate leadership not just through emission pledges but also through localised, human-centred adaptation strategies.

If February felt like April, and April is already feeling like June, then the next summer could well be unlivable. We need more than forecasts — we need foresight.