Taking serious note of rising fatalities due to heatwave conditions in India, the Supreme Court has asked the central government to respond within two weeks to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that alleges negligence in enforcing existing national guidelines meant to manage and mitigate extreme heat events.
The case, brought before a bench comprising Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih, points to the death of more than 700 people due to heatwave and heat stress in the previous year alone. Filed by environment activist Vikrant Tongad, the petition seeks urgent implementation of nationwide Heat Action Plans (HAPs) in accordance with the guidelines framed by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in 2019.
The plea has highlighted that despite clear mandates and guidelines under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, there exists a significant gap in both preparedness and response across many states and Union Territories. It adds that the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and NDMA are legally obligated to ensure uniform and effective disaster response strategies to mitigate the health and economic impact of extreme heat events.
The PIL underscores a critical and worsening public health crisis in India driven by climate change. Historically, heatwaves were concentrated in specific regions mainly northwestern and central India. However recent data and research by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reveal that the impact has now spread widely, reaching the east coast, eastern and northeastern states, southern peninsular India, and the south-central belt. This geographic expansion of heatwave zones underscores a shift in India’s climate dynamics and signals the need for comprehensive and immediate policy interventions.
One of the key concerns raised is the lack of early warning systems and forecast mechanisms in many parts of the country. The petition urges the establishment of heat alert systems, round-the-clock public helplines, and access to heat shelters especially for vulnerable populations such as outdoor workers, the elderly, people with pre-existing health conditions, and economically weaker sections. It also demands financial support mechanisms such as compensation for families of heat-related victims and minimum wages or social security during periods of extreme heat.
A scientific report, cited in the petition and published in April 2023 by the Ministry of Earth Sciences in collaboration with IMD and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology has projected an alarming future. The report indicates that more than 70% of India’s landmass is expected to be vulnerable to heatwaves in the coming decades. It warns that the intensity, frequency, and duration of heatwaves will rise substantially, particularly affecting tropical and sub-tropical countries like India.
The findings also suggest that by the end of the 21st century, the risk of heatwaves in India could increase tenfold if global temperatures continue to rise. This trend is likely to cause a significant increase in heat-related mortality, especially in regions with limited access to adaptive infrastructure and healthcare.
The PIL contends that despite such scientific forecasts and previous years’ devastating losses, there remains a glaring absence of institutional accountability and effective policy enforcement. It notes that most heat-related deaths go unrecognized and unreported, with victims largely belonging to informal sectors and marginalised communities, thereby escaping public scrutiny and statistical inclusion in disaster databases.
In response to this, the Supreme Court has issued notices to key ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and NDMA, among others. They have been directed to submit their responses and plans within two weeks, potentially laying the groundwork for judicial scrutiny of India’s climate adaptation policies.
This legal development comes amid rising concern over the intensifying climate crisis and India’s preparedness to deal with its impacts. Experts have been warning that rising temperatures, combined with rapid urbanization, deforestation, and inefficient cooling infrastructure, will deepen the vulnerabilities of large sections of India’s population in the years ahead.
As the nation braces for another summer of extreme temperatures, the apex court’s intervention could mark a turning point in pushing for urgent climate resilience measures, not only in policy design but in ground-level implementation. The case also brings to light the urgent need for mainstreaming heatwave risk into India’s broader public health, labor, and environmental governance frameworks.