New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday stressed the need for states to be better prepared to meet challenges related to heat wave and forest fires, ensure no loss of life and to minimise damage. At a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba also gave an assurance to the states and Union territories that the central ministries and departments are closely engaging with them to ensure optimum preparedness and for implementing timely mitigation and response measures, according to an official statement.

The issue of heat wave and forest fires was discussed at a meeting of the NCMC, chaired by the cabinet secretary who took stock of the preparedness of the central and state governments. Chief secretaries of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Odisha, Delhi, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, and senior officials from Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh also attended the meeting through video conferencing. Top officials of the central government also attended the meeting. The cabinet secretary observed that states and Union territories need to be better prepared to meet the associated challenges related to heat wave and forest fires to ensure no loss of life and to minimise damage.

He stressed the importance of preparatory measures as outlined by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), statement said. The NDMA and the MoEFCC made detailed presentations on current situation of heat wave and forest fires respectively including steps being taken to deal with them, across the country. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) informed that 10-22 above normal heat wave days were recorded in different parts of the country between April to June 2024. It was also informed that as per forecast for the month of June, above-normal heatwave days are likely over most areas of Northwest India and neighbouring areas from north Central India.

This year, the monsoon is likely to be normal and above normal in most parts of the country. Regular alerts on heat waves are being sent by IMD. The NDMA also informed that a series of preparatory meetings have been conducted, starting from October 2023, by central ministries and departments and state governments. Advisories have been issued to states to activate control rooms, enforce SoPs for heat wave, ensure drinking water availability, preparedness of health facilities including availability of essential medicines and ORS and uninterrupted power supply. States have also been advised to conduct fire safety audits of schools, hospitals and other institutions regularly and reduce response time in incidents of fire.

State governments informed that the situation is being reviewed and monitored closely with relevant departments and district collectors. The cabinet secretary requested the chief secretaries to regularly review and monitor the short term, medium term and long-term measures to ramp up preparedness to deal with heat waves. He emphasised that efforts to maintain and augment sources of water supply should be stepped up and fire safety audit of all institutions be ensured regularly. On forest fire management, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change made a presentation, outlining the action plan and preparedness to deal with the forest fires in various parts of the country.

It was informed that regular forest fire alerts are being disseminated through mobile SMS and emails. A forest fire alert system portal named VAN AGNI, which provides pre-fire and near real time forest fire alerts, has also been developed by Forest Survey of India (FSI) to assist the states and other agencies. Gauba reiterated that during the review meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 2, it was emphasised that the issue of forest fires should be given greater attention. A regular system of preparatory measures and annual drills to deal with forest fires, as done in case of floods etc. may be put in place. A comprehensive approach with a focus on prevention and quick and effective response should be adopted, the statement said.