The state is one of the first in India to independently recognise heatwaves as a disaster category, allowing targeted relief under the State Disaster Response Fund.
Published Apr 16, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Apr 16, 2025 | 7:00 AM
Heatwave. (Representational/ iStock)
Synopsis: Telangana has officially declared heatwaves and sunstroke as state-specific disasters, becoming one of the first Indian states to independently recognise heat-related conditions under its disaster response framework. This move empowers the state to offer ₹4 lakh ex-gratia relief to families of victims, using provisions under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) despite the Union government’s continued exclusion of heatwaves from the national list of recognised disasters.
In a significant move to strengthen climate resilience and protect vulnerable populations, the Telangana government has officially declared heatwaves and sunstroke as state-specific disasters.
This decision, issued via government orders by Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar, enables the state to provide an ex-gratia relief of ₹4 lakh to families of heatstroke victims.
This makes Telangana one of the first Indian states to independently recognise heatwaves as a disaster category, allowing targeted relief under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
The Union government, however, continues to exclude heatwaves from the list of 13 disasters recognised under the Disaster Management Act (DM Act), 2005 – thereby disallowing access to the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for heat-related incidents.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a heatwave occurs when the maximum temperature reaches at least 40°C and is 5–6°C above normal; a severe heatwave implies a deviation of 7°C or more.
Additionally, any region recording 45°C or higher qualifies for a heatwave declaration, irrespective of the normal temperature.
Due to climate change, such events are becoming more frequent, intense, and longer in duration.
However, the health and economic impacts of heatwaves remain under-recognised – often because deaths and illnesses are underreported, especially among the elderly, outdoor workers, women, and children.
Unlike floods or cyclones, which destroy visible infrastructure, heatwaves primarily affect human health – often invisibly. The lack of well-defined medical criteria for heat-related deaths has contributed to systemic undercounting.
For instance, Telangana recorded 98 deaths in 2020, 43 in 2021, and 62 in 2022 due to heatwaves (as per the National Crime Records Bureau), but recent data is unavailable due to non-release by the agency.
The urgency is underscored by IMD’s forecast of above-normal heatwave days across large parts of India – including Telangana – during April to June 2025.
In 2024, 28 of Telangana’s 33 districts experienced more than 15 heatwave days, with some like Nalgonda and Peddapalli enduring over 30 days.
Urban areas, especially Hyderabad and Warangal, face compounded effects due to the urban heat island and wet bulb impacts, making construction workers and daily wage earners especially vulnerable.
As of April 2025, heatwaves, heatstroke, and sunstroke are not classified as notified disasters under the Disaster Management Act (DM Act), 2005.
The Act currently recognises 13 disaster categories eligible for central financial assistance, including:
Despite the increasing frequency, severity, and impact of heatwaves, they remain excluded from this official list. The Union government, as recently as July 2024, reiterated that there are no current plans to notify heatwaves as a disaster under the DM Act.
This exclusion has significant implications for state-level response and relief:
However, the 15th Finance Commission allows states to allocate up to 10 percent of their SDRF funds for local disasters – a provision that can be used for heatwaves only if the state notifies it as a local disaster.
This, however, is discretionary and lacks a uniform national mandate.
The rising toll of heatwaves – in terms of both fatalities and health emergencies – has reignited national discussions on the urgent need to include heatwaves as a notified disaster under the DM Act.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the April–June (AMJ) 2025 season is expected to bring an above-normal number of heatwave days across large parts of the country.
Regions expected to be severely affected include:
In Telangana, the summer of 2024 presented alarming trends:
The impact is particularly severe in urban centres due to the urban heat island effect and wet bulb temperature stress – a dangerous combination of heat and humidity that impairs the body’s ability to cool down.
Vulnerable groups – such as construction workers, street vendors, daily wage earners, and residents of congested urban areas in Hyderabad, Warangal, and other municipal zones – face heightened risks of sunstroke and heat-related illnesses.
All districts in Telangana have developed district-specific heatwave action plans and have proactively implemented several precautionary measures, including:
Despite these efforts, the lack of an official disaster notification for heatwaves has limited the state’s ability to provide adequate relief, particularly ex-gratia compensation for families of individuals who succumb to heatwave or sunstroke.
Until now, ex-gratia assistance of ₹50,000 was being provided under the Apadbandhu Scheme for deaths due to heatwave or sunstroke.
However, this amount is considered insufficient, especially since the affected individuals are often outdoor workers, daily wage earners, or members of vulnerable groups such as the elderly.
The state government’s official declaration of heatwave and sunstroke as state-specific disasters enables it to provide relief and compensation in accordance with SDRF norms, aligning with the growing risks posed by extreme heat events.
As per Para 3.2 of the SDRF Guidelines, states are permitted to utilise up to 10 percent of the SDRF annual allocation for local or state-specific disasters, provided:
Under Section 48(1)(c) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) is constituted to support mitigation projects for disasters notified under SDRF or NDRF, including heatwaves and lightning, as per Para 3.2(ii) of the relevant guidelines.
Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar said, “The State Government, having taken into consideration all the above facts, has decided to declare heatwave and sunstroke as a ‘state-specific disaster’ for the purpose of providing relief to the families of victims. It is also decided to offer ex-gratia or relief in accordance with the SDRF norms.”
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
