Above normal temperatures and heatwaves are predicted. You could play an active role in mitigation efforts.
There are too many warnings that summer is going to hit us badly this year. The magazine Down to Earth reports that IMD’s (India Meteorological Department) seasonal outlook for March-April-May has warned that the summer season of 2026 could be hotter than normal for most of the Himalayan region, northeastern states and some parts of the Western Ghats region.
This means that we will have to put up with above normal maximum temperatures in most parts of the country. And worse still, night temperatures are also predicted to be above normal, making the summer extremely uncomfortable.
An alert from IMD also speaks of “above-normal number of heatwave days over most parts of east, east- central, many parts of the southeastern peninsula and some parts of north-west and west-central India during March to May.”
This brings us to the question of how we can manage the summer months and yet be able to curtail our carbon footprint as much as possible. But first, my heart and mind go out to all those who have no choice but to work outdoors during these cruel months. There are a whole lot of workers I can think of — gardeners, gig workers, delivery agents, traffic police, security guards, street food vendors… the list seems endless. Far from the luxury of an air-conditioned office, many people are unlikely to even have a fan over their heads. Working under direct sunlight with little rest and no shade can lead to heat exhaustion, dehydration, or even fatal heatstroke.
As citizens, we should advocate for creating more public parks, planting roadside trees, and establishing green belts.
Unfortunately, our Indian cities are hardly planned, and not much thought has been given to issues like heat mitigation. It is now recognised that congested urban areas trap heat, a phenomenon known as the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. In our city slums, where most of the workers live, the roofs are largely made of asphalt, metal, or concrete, and these materials absorb and radiate the sun’s heat.
In fact, scientists have found that in these informal housing colonies, indoor temperatures often exceed outdoor temperatures by 8–10°C. This proves to be as devastating as the outdoors and creates a terrible health risk for children, women and the elderly who stay at home and have no access to cooler conditions. Illness due to excessive heat leads to loss of working days, increased medical expenses, loss of income and drives many to the brink of poverty and helplessness.
It is good that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has recognised the nature of the danger the population faces from rising summer heat and has declared heatwaves a national disaster. The World Health Organisation also recognises that the urban poor are a climate-vulnerable population and requires adaptation interventions as a priority.
But this official recognition is not enough. We, as aware and responsible citizens, also need to do our bit to see that, along with our comfort and progress, we can do our bit for a large proportion of the population that is vulnerable and in need of large-scale mitigation measures.
So, first, let’s look at what we can advocate for in our cities to make the summer months bearable for the entire population.
The most important aspect is ensuring that our city administrations are proactive in implementing our Heat Action Plans (HAPs). These include implementing early warning systems, developing water bodies and parks (blue and green infrastructure), ensuring that there is passive cooling in building designs, and focusing on our vulnerable populations.
As citizens, it is important for us to take action in our communities to expand greenery. We should advocate for the creation of parks, planting roadside trees, and establishing green belts. This will provide adequate shade for people to rest during the afternoon and help reduce local air temperatures.
We must insist that the pavements built have light colours and are made of porous materials to reduce surface heat absorption and allow rainwater to infiltrate. If there is a lake, pond, well, pool, or a strip of wetland in our vicinity that needs rejuvenation, we should take the initiative and see that it is restored to its original state so that it can serve as a natural coolant and improve the urban microclimate of the area.
If we advocate for shaded shelters, hydration facilities, and rest breaks for outdoor workers, it will help us move forward. Additionally, preparing for heat-related medical contingencies in the city is essential.
We should promote a movement for implementing cool roofs in homes. Affordable methods can be used for this purpose, including lime wash, reflective coating materials, rooftop gardens, and bamboo shades. These approaches can reduce roof surface temperatures by 15–20°C and indoor temperatures by 8–10°C.
Now let’s see how we can reduce our own energy footprint. On the personal front, first stick to cool summer attire that absorbs sweat and keeps us cool. Try to keep air conditioners at 24 degrees or higher, as that is the most energy-efficient and helps keep electricity bills in check, too. Put off fans when you are not using them to cut down on unnecessary electricity use, as energy is in short supply and in high demand in the summer months.
The most important thing is to stay hydrated. Drinking buttermilk, coconut water, and lime juice to keep you going is a great idea. We also have some well-known traditional drinks: sattu sharbat (made with black channa and Bengal gram flours), lassi, kanji, aam and bael panna (mango and wood apple juice). People swear by their cooling properties. Food too should be light, both the southern and northern states have some famous curd-based preparations popular in summer. If you can cook using solar energy, nothing like it.
In summer, several people start swimming for fitness or recreation, take several baths a day and avoid the outdoors during the hours of intense heat. All of this is effective, but like I said at the start, pushing for a better city environment and advocating for change that can impact many more people who are not in a position to advocate for themselves would make your contribution that much more special.
The writer is a senior journalist who writes on environmental issues