(a) whether the India Meteorological Department (IMD) proposes to bring out temperature outlook;
(b) if so, the details and the objectives thereof;
(c) the salient features of the said programme and the benefits likely to accrue therefrom;
(d) the agencies involved in the programme; and
(e) the steps proposed to be taken to create awareness about the said programme amongst masses?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND
MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES
(SHRI Y. S. CHOWDARY)
(a) Yes Madam
(b-c) In view of its social relevance, since 2016, India Meteorological Department (IMD), Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has started issuing seasonal forecast outlooks of summer temperatures. In addition, IMD also issues heat wave alerts and warnings for 5-7 days and outlook for subsequent 7 days
For the Hot Weather Season (March to May) of 2017, an outlook was issued on 28th February ,2017 which suggests that above normal temperatures up to 1.0o C are likely to prevail over all meteorological sub-divisions of the country except northwest India where temperatures are likely to be more than 1.0ยบ C above normal.
Above normal heat wave(HW) conditions are likely over the core heat wave zone (Punjab, HimachalPradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Telangana and meteorological subdivisions Marathwada, Vidarbha, Madhya Maharashtra and coastal Andhra Pradesh) of the country.
(d-e) The State Meteorological Centres of IMD in association with various State Governments have been closely coordinating in issuing heat wave alerts so as to minimize public exposure and to provide due assistance to the vulnerable people (Senior citizens and children) from sun stroke related incidences. Efforts of IMD are supported by expanding the outreach of heat wave alerts by State Government agencies through print/visual media and others civil society organization.