Assam Government Plans Heat Action Strategy Amid Rising Temperatures

Addressing Extreme Heat in Assam

Guwahati, July 26: As soaring temperatures become increasingly common during summer, the Assam government is considering implementing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and a Heat Action Plan to address this issue. A total of 17 departments and agencies, including Education, Power, Women and Child Development, and the Assam Climate Change Management Society, have been tasked with developing a tailored heat action strategy for the state.

These departments are expected to submit their specific proposals by July 28, which will then be incorporated into the overarching Heat Action Plan for Assam.

Meenakshi Das Nath, the secretary of Revenue and Disaster Management, has instructed the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) to produce targeted awareness materials related to extreme heat.

Additionally, the District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) are responsible for identifying schools that suffer from electricity shortages and lack adequate cooling facilities.

The Power department will review the lists provided by DDMAs and collaborate with the Department of School Education to install solar panels as an alternative energy source.

Meanwhile, the state is grappling with unusually high summer temperatures, compounded by a significant deficit in monsoon rainfall. This situation follows the recent death of a police constable in the capital, suspected to be due to heat stroke.

On the previous day, Guwahati recorded a temperature of 37.6 degrees Celsius, marking the fifth highest maximum temperature ever recorded for July. The highest temperature for the month, 38.4 degrees Celsius, was also noted this year on the 13th. Notably, nine of the ten highest July temperatures in Guwahati have occurred since 2018.

Last month, both Jorhat and Dibrugarh set new records for maximum temperatures in June.