CHENNAI: The National Human Rights Commission has urged the Tamil Nadu government to take proactive and coordinated measures to protect vulnerable populations from intensifying heat waves, warning that rising temperatures could severely impact public health and livelihoods across the state.
In a statement to Chief Secretaries of 21 states and Delhi, the Commission specifically included Tamil Nadu, stressing the need for advance preparedness and effective implementation of relief measures. The advisory comes at a time when several parts of Tamil Nadu are already experiencing high temperatures and humidity, increasing heat stress among residents.
The NHRC noted that heat waves disproportionately affect economically weaker sections, daily wage earners, outdoor workers, and the homeless, particularly in urban centres like Chennai, where access to adequate shelter and cooling infrastructure remains uneven. The elderly, children, infants and newborns were identified as being especially vulnerable to extreme heat conditions.
Citing data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the Commission said that 3,712 deaths due to heat or sunstroke were reported across India between 2019 and 2023, underlining the urgency for preventive action at the state level.
The Commission has asked Tamil Nadu to strictly implement relief measures in accordance with the existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) guidelines. These include ensuring access to drinking water, setting up cooling centres, adjusting working hours for outdoor labourers and strengthening public health response systems.
It also warned that prolonged heat conditions could lead to loss of livelihoods, especially among informal workers, and increase the risk of fire accidents.
With climate variability intensifying heatwaves, the Commission's directive underscores the need for Tamil Nadu to strengthen its heat action plans and ensure the last-mile delivery of relief measures, particularly in high-risk and densely populated areas.