Heat deaths...

Human activity can make the situation worse. Phenomena such as the urban heat island effect – where a city or metropolitan area becomes significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas – can make ambient temperature feel three to four degrees higher than what it is, said Arjuna Srinidhi, a programme manager at the Centre for Science and Environment. This has also contributed to heat wave conditions in 2015 lasting fewer days than in 2010 but raking up a higher death toll, she added.

This should worry policymakers as the world aims to restrict temperature rise by the end of the century by another one degree, resulting in a huge impact on the plains of India if adequate weather proofing wasn’t done.

Climate experts also point out India hasn’t done enough to adapt itself to rising temperatures, especially when it comes to saving human lives.

“The historical summer data shows heat-prone regions in coastal, southern and central India,” said a senior climate scientist with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.

Historical knowledge about so-called heat-wave death zones in the coastal and inner parts of the erstwhile unified Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring Odisha hasn’t helped as these regions continue to report a heavy toll, raising questions over the government’s droughtproofing and disaster management plan.

The National Disaster Manage-ment Authority, which is mandated under law to prepare disaster management plans, had requested the states to map heat wave-prone areas and create adequate infrastructure, including health facilities, to cope with the blistering sun. under control and a large police force has been deployed in Kumhari for the villagers’ protection,” he added.

Reports said a farm in the area was used by a Muslim contractor of Nagaur Municipal Council to dump carcasses from nearby areas for the past few months. However, the situation flared up on Saturday when the contractor dumped the carcasses of 20 cows at the site.

According to a source, enmity between the contractor and a local Hindu group’s leader led to the situation. The Hindu group’s leader allegedly demanded Rs 40,000 from the contractor to let him carry on dumping carcasses in the area.

When the contractor refused to pay up, the Hindu leader allegedly instigated villagers against the contractor, a police official said on condition of anonymity.

Nagaur district was rocked earlier this month by violent clashes between Dalits and Jats, who used tractors to flatten the homes of Dalits and allegedly thrashed several women. The clashes occurred following a sudden flare-up over a decades-old land dispute.