The advisory follows a home ministry directive after a meeting early this week with stakeholder ministries to discuss the India Meteorological Department’s alert on heat waves. IMD has said many parts of southern peninsula, adjoining northwest central India, some parts of east India and plains of northwest India may witness above normal heat wave days in April.
“Some of the measures that can be considered include rescheduling of work hours,” the official said, adding that early or late work hours, and long rest hours during the day when the sun is at its peak could be on the cards.
According to the official, the directive will also include steps such as providing facilities for regular health checkups, always ensuring enough cool places in the work premises for rest and adequate water availability. It could also suggest employing more workers for redistribution of work. Besides, the labour ministry has directed its autonomous bodies including the Dattopant
Thengadi National Board for Workers Education and Development(DTNBWED) and the V.V. Giri National Labour Institute to train workers on protecting themselves from heat waves as part of their regular training module.
India has more than 380 million unorganised workers who are often exposed to harsh weather conditions while at work despite enough labour laws being in place to ensure a suitable workplace for such workers.
Nearly 250 people died in India in 2023 due to intense heat waves and the country witnessed loss of labour hours during summer months of April-June.
The November 2023 Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change estimated a loss of 191 billion potential labour hours in India due to heat exposure in 2022, an increase of 54% from 1991-2000.
