Question : Inclusion as Natural Calamities

(a) whether there are reports of deaths of thousands of people due to heat wave in the country particularly in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana States during the last three months;

(b) if so, the number of deaths reported, State-wise;

(c) the measures taken by the Union and the State Governments to provide assistance to the victims of heat wave;

(d) whether there have been demands to include ‘Heat Wave’ as one of the natural calamities such as floods, drought, avalanche, earthquake etc.; and

(e) if so, the response of the Government thereto?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a) to (e): Ministry of Home Affairs does not maintain the information relating to the number of deaths which occur in various States of the country due to heat wave.
.....2/-


-: 2 :-
L.S.U.S.Q.NO. 83 FOR 21.07.2015
However, as per information received from the Government of Andhra Pradesh and Telengana, loss of human lives reported due to heat wave during 2015 is 1369 and 541 respectively. The Government of Andhra Pradesh is providing ex-gratia assistance to the families of the deceased person @ Rs. 1,00,000/- from the Chief Minister Relief Fund. Similarly, the Government of Telengana is providing ex-gratia assistance to the families of deceased person @ Rs. 50,000/- under Apathbandhu Scheme.

The primary responsibility of disaster management rests with States. The concerned State Governments are required to undertake necessary measures to provide assistance to the victims of calamity including heat wave as per their relief codes/ manual. In the case of heat wave, the State Governments take various preparatory measures including giving wide publicity on Dos & Don’ts, making provisions for drinking water centers at public places and ensuring availability of emergency medical services, ORS, Intra-Venous (I.V.) fluids etc.

The heat wave is not included in the centrally notified list of natural disasters eligible for relief under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) /National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). However, considering the need for flexibility in regard to State-specific disasters, the 14th Finance Commission has recommended that expenditure for providing immediate relief to the victims of State-specific disasters within the local context in the State, which are not included in the notified list of disasters eligible for assistance from SDRF/ NDRF, can be met from SDRF within the limit of 10% of the annual fund allocation of the SDRF subject to fulfillment of certain prescribed conditions and norms.
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