Kartiki Negi

India has been witnessing earlier, longer, and more intense heatwaves over the past few years, driven largely by human-induced climate change. But rising temperatures alone do not explain why cities and towns are becoming increasingly unlivable during summers. Rapid urbanisation is significantly amplifying heat stress, turning Indian cities into giant heat traps and driving a sharp rise in electricity demand.

As it rolls out the world’s biggest-ever election, there’s a bigger challenge confronting India’s governance systems: Heat India’s 969 million voters are battling testing summer temperatures in the ongoing national polls. Parts of peninsular and central Indian plains have already breached the 46°C threshold. States like Kerala have already reported deaths at the polling booths.

[Image from Unsplash] By Archana Chaudhary and Kartiki Negi India’s 969 million voters are battling testing summer temperatures in the ongoing national polls. Parts of peninsular and central Indian plains have already breached the 46°C threshold. States like Kerala have already reported deaths at the polling booths. According to the Indian Meteorological Department, a heatwave is when temperatures cross a maximum of 40 degrees Celsius in India’s plains and 30 degrees in hilly areas.