As India experiences longer and more intense heatwaves each year, public health experts and urban planners are increasingly highlighting the role of low-cost, locally adaptable heat resilience measures in protecting vulnerable populations.
Recent field-level assessments across multiple Indian cities indicate that simple interventions such as shaded public spaces, cool roofs, improved ventilation in low-income housing, access to drinking water points, and community heat-awareness programmes are delivering measurable reductions in heat-related illnesses. These interventions, though modest in scale, have proven particularly effective in densely populated urban and peri-urban areas where access to air-conditioning and advanced infrastructure remains limited.
Health professionals note that heat stress is no longer only a climate issue but a growing public health concern, affecting outdoor workers, elderly populations, children, and economically disadvantaged communities the most. Preventive strategies focusing on early warning, behavioural awareness, and passive cooling techniques are now being viewed as essential complements to hospital-based healthcare responses.
Urban policy specialists emphasise that integrating heat resilience planning into municipal development frameworks, housing guidelines, and community welfare programmes can significantly reduce avoidable health emergencies during extreme weather events. Such measures also align with climate adaptation goals by reducing energy demand and strengthening community-level preparedness.
Experts advocate for greater collaboration between civil society organisations, local administrations, and healthcare systems to scale up people-centric, climate-resilient public health solutions. Strengthening community ownership and awareness, they argue, is key to ensuring long-term resilience as climate variability intensifies.
