Topic covered- Disaster and disaster management
Heat waves
Context
- Severe Heat Wave conditions over plains of Northwest India.
- A Western Disturbance is likely to affect western Himalayan, however it is unlikely to cause significant Thunderstorm activity over the plains.
What is a Heat wave?
- A heat wave is usually measured relative to the usual weather in the area and relative to normal temperatures for the season.
- Heat wave is considered if maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40°C or more for Plains, 37°C or more for coastal stations and at least 30°C or more for Hilly regions.
Declaration of heat wave according to IMD
- Based on Departure from Normal (for Hilly regions)
- Heat Wave: Maximum temperature departure from normal is 4.5°C to 6.4°C.
- Severe Heat Wave: Maximum temperature departure from normal is >6.4°C.
- Based on Actual Maximum Temperature (for plains only):
- Heat Wave: When actual maximum temperature ≥ 45°C.
- Severe Heat Wave: When actual maximum temperature ≥47°C.
- Criteria for heat wave for Coastal Regions
- Maximum temperature departure is >4.5°C from normal
- Heat wave : maximum temperature is ≥ 37°C
Heat wave Warning
Reasons of Heat wave in India
- Deforestation, the heat-island effect, and industrial pollution are also being blamed for exacerbating heat waves.
- Studies have linked an increase in heat waves to more increase in El Nino events, or years marked by an anomalous heating in the Central Pacific Ocean that’s linked to a weakening of the Indian monsoon.
- The Indian Ocean temperatures are also rising faster than the other oceans, and this, too, may be reducing moisture over the Indian mainland, thus playing some part in longer stretches of hot days.
- According to the MET Department, the presence of an anti-cyclonic circulation over south Pakistan and neighbouring regions is the reason behind the hot winds prevailing over the entire northwest India.
Health Impacts of Heat Waves
- The health impacts of Heat Waves typically involve dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and/or heat stroke.
- Children, the elderly and those with pre-existing morbidities are particularly vulnerable.
Topic covered- Government schemes
Ishan Uday and Ishan Vikas schemes
- Ishan Uday and Ishan Vikas schemes are the scholarship schemes for the students of North Eastern region.
- Ishan Uday Scholarship Scheme
- Ishan uday scheme is administered by University Grants Commission (UGC).
- Under the scheme, scholarship is provided to the students having parental income upto Rs. 4.5 lakh per annum, from the North East Region for pursuing general degree, technical and professional degree courses including medical and para-medical courses.
- Ishan Vikas
- It is coordinated by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati.
- Under the programme, selected school children from North Eastern States are brought in close contact with the IITs, Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) and National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) during the vacation period.
- It is to motivate them to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics and to facilitate internship opportunities for the engineering college students in various institutes of national importance.
Topic covered- Governance
Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0
About
- Unnat Bharat Abhiyan is a flagship programme of the Ministry of HRD.
- It aims to link the Higher Education Institutions with a set of at least 5 villages so that these institutions can contribute to the economic and social betterment of these village communities using their knowledge base.
- It also aims to create a virtuous cycle between the society and an inclusive university system, with the latter providing knowledge base and to upgrade the capabilities of both the public and private sectors.
- It is to provide knowledge and technology support to improve the livelihoods in rural areas and upgrading the capabilities of both the public and private organizations in the society are the means.
- Currently, 748 Institutions are participating under the scheme.
The objectives
- To build an understanding of the development agenda within institutes of Higher Education and an institutional capacity and training relevant to national needs, especially those of rural India.
- To stress on rigorous reporting and useful outputs as central to developing new professions.
- To engage the faculty and students of Higher Educational Institutions in understanding rural realities.
- Identify and select existing innovative technologies, enable customization of technologies, or devise implementation methods for innovative solutions, as required by people.
- To foster a new dialogue within the larger community on science, society and the environment and to develop a sense of dignity.
