Cooling Doctrine: India’s Structural Response to Extreme Heatwaves

India’s response to extreme heat is shifting from superficial, reactive measures to a more structural approach centered on a proposed National Cooling Doctrine.

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Failure of Current Responses

• Recurring Heatwaves: India has been witnessing recurring extreme heat events for the last 10–12 years.
• Routine Guidelines: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issues annual heatwave guidelines, which States often replicate without substantial innovation.
• Short-term Measures: Current responses largely focus on temporary interventions such as water kiosks, shaded bus stops, and advisories asking people to stay indoors.
• Neglect of Vulnerable Workers: Existing measures inadequately protect gig workers, informal labourers, factory workers, and warehouse employees whose livelihoods require prolonged heat exposure.

National Cooling Doctrine

• Cooling as a Right: Cooling should be recognised as a basic entitlement and public health necessity rather than a luxury.
• Workplace Standards: The government should prescribe minimum cooling standards for factories, commercial kitchens, warehouses, and office spaces.
• Strict Enforcement: Effective implementation requires rigorous inspections to prevent non-compliance driven by electricity cost concerns.
• Biological Threshold: Sustained body temperatures above 35°C can severely impair human functioning, making cooling a critical public health issue.

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Structural and Indigenous Solutions

• Passive Cooling: Buildings should incorporate passive cooling techniques such as reflective white roofs and heat-resistant designs.
• Indigenous AC Design: India requires energy-efficient air-conditioning systems suited to humid heat conditions and unstable power supply environments.
• District Cooling Systems: Centralised cooling networks, similar to models in Singapore and Dubai, could provide an efficient large-scale urban cooling.

Policy and Financial Framework

• Heatwaves as National Disaster: The 16th Finance Commission, chaired by Arvind Panagariya, has recommended classifying heatwaves as a “National Disaster.”
• Dedicated Funding: Such a classification would enable dedicated central funding through the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for heat management.
• Heat as a Silent Killer: Unlike floods or earthquakes, heat-related deaths are often less visible despite causing significant mortality, requiring greater policy prioritisation.
• Learning from Success: The Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan (HAP) is cited as a successful local model that has reportedly saved thousands of lives.
  • Ahmedabad developed its Heat Action Plan following the devastating 2010 heatwave, which caused over 1,300 excess deaths. 
  • It was the first municipal HAP in South Asia and has since become a global model for extreme heat preparedness.

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Conclusion

India needs to shift from short-term heatwave responses to a comprehensive cooling strategy that treats thermal safety as a public health, labour, and urban governance priority.

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