Amid rising heatwave and temperatures touching 46 degrees Celsius in several places, the Union Government has written a letter to all states and UTs about the National Action Plan on heat-related illnesses.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan in the letter has asked all states and UTs to disseminate the guideline document National Action Plan on heat-related illnesses to all districts for effective management of cases of the heatwave.

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“From March 1, daily surveillances on heat-related illnesses have been initiated under Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) in all states and districts. Please ensure that these daily surveillance reports are
shared with NCDC. The daily heat alerts which are being shared by IMD as well as NCDC with States indicate forecast of a heatwave for next 3-4 days and maybe disseminated promptly at district health facility level,” Bhushan said in the letter yesterday.

The letter reads further that the Health Department of the State must continue efforts on sensitisation and capacity building of medical officers, health staff, grass-root level workers on heat illness, and early recognition and management.

“Health Facility preparedness must be reviewed for the availability of adequate quantities of essential medicines, I.V. fluids, ice packs, ORS, and all necessary. Availability of sufficient drinking water at all Health Facilities and continued functioning of cooling appliances in critical areas must be ensured,” the letter said.

The Centre has also asked states to utilise Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) as well as Community Level Awareness materials regarding the precautions to be taken by the population to safeguard themselves against heatwave.

The Centre has also issued a Public Health Advisory incorporating Do’s and Don’ts, prepared by NCDC for being used as a template and customised to suit the local needs as well as translated into local languages for wider dissemination by the states.

Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) today issued a yellow warning for Northwest India due to a Western Disturbance, soon after the heatwave spell subsided across the country.

Senior scientist of IMD, RK Jenamani said that there are chances of the heatwave being over in most parts of India, including Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, as per the analysis of IMD today.

However, there are chances of a heatwave in West Rajasthan and Vidarbha, but the major heatwave spell is over. “The heatwave in Odisha and Bengal was over on April 30, as we predicted. Strong winds will be there in the next two to three days. We are also giving a Yellow warning to Northwest India as there is a Western disturbance. Delhi is likely to experience rain mainly on May 3. Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab are on yellow alert and strong winds will be there tomorrow and rain may occur,” he said.

Jenamani further said that Western Disturbance is very active and the wind pattern can be seen in Delhi, Lucknow, and Jaipur. For the next 6-7 days, east winds will also be very strong and the temperature will not rise.

“It is a big relief after such a big spell. A heatwave cannot be formed till May 7. We will be able to the exact situation after May 7 after analysing however the temperature goes. But right now the condition is good in May,” he added.

Speaking about the situation in Andaman, Jenamani said, “The system in Andaman is forming on May 4. Low pressure will be formed on May 6 and then it will be intensified. We are giving a warning to South Andaman and adjoining areas of the Bay of Bengal. We have asked people not to go there as there are indications that the system will intensify. We have mainly asked fishermen to not go there.”

The national weather forecasting agency predicted that the isolated parts of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, south Uttar Pradesh, Kutch, and East Rajasthan will experience a decrease in the temperature from today, whereas Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and West Rajasthan will experience heatwave conditions for another 24 hours. It will subside from May 3, the IMD said on Sunday.

It also predicted thunderstorm activity over Northwest and East India till May 4 and over Northeast India till May 3. Isolated places over Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh, east Rajasthan, and parts of Uttar Pradesh will experience partly cloudy sky with the possibility of thunder development from Monday.