Crisis of rising humid heat in India
New Delhi: The changes in weather have put the whole world in trouble, but a serious warning has emerged for India. Along with extreme heat, the deadly moisture present in the air is now becoming a 'silent killer' for people. A recent important scientific study has shown that India is most affected by dangerous humid heat. The data of this study is so worrying that it has become a matter of concern for the common people and especially the workers who work hard day and night.
Deadly heat wave increases 19 times in India
The study conducted by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) and Guwahati University has been published in the 'Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres'. In this, an in-depth analysis of global data from 1950 to 2020 has been done. Scientists found that rates of exposure to dangerous humid heat worldwide have increased nearly 16 times compared to the 1950s. But the situation in India is most worrying, where this figure has increased 19 times. Almost half of this increase has been seen in India alone. According to the study, 'wet bulb globe temperature' (WBGT) above 33 degrees Celsius is extremely dangerous for human health.
Danger to working people
The worst effect of this deadly heat is on those who do physical labour. Researchers have also studied the impact on business productivity. According to shocking statistics, in the 1950s a worker faced this dangerous heat on average 12 days a year (per eight-hour shift). But in the 2020s, this figure has increased to 65 working days. Working in this dangerous humid heat for long periods of time is not only reducing physical ability, but it is also directly life threatening.
Situation serious in Delhi and North-West India
The situation is becoming more serious in the north-western region of India, especially Delhi. According to IITM scientist Subodh Kumar Saha, even though the temperature on the thermometer appears to be less than 45 degrees Celsius, people experience a heat of 45 degrees due to the moisture present in the air. The researchers found that this sudden change in wetter heat began in the 1980s. The main reasons behind this have been attributed to increase in global temperature, sea changes in the Indo-Pacific Warm Pool and population growth. India's working-age population has nearly doubled since 1950, further exacerbating the impact of this weather hazard.