A Farmer seated near a tank holding an umbrella to escape with summer heat in Dhanur village, Medak district, Telangana. File
| Photo Credit: MOHD ARIF

The Telangana government has declared heatwaves, sunstrokes, and sunburns as a ‘State-Specific Disaster’. It has also enhanced the financial relief provided to families of heatwave victims to ₹4 lakh per deceased person.

A government order (G.O.) declaring this was issued by Special Chief Secretary (Disaster Management) Arvind Kumar on Tuesday (April 15, 2025). Until now, only ₹50,000 was offered to the families under the Apathbandhu scheme. The G.O. stated that the enhanced financial relief would be provided from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).

A farmer sets off to his field amid the sweltering heat in Pochampally village – 60 km away from Hyderabad on May 30, 2018. File
| Photo Credit:
NAGARA GOPAL

Telangana experienced at least 15 heatwave days in 2024

“Due to rising global temperatures driven by climate change, Telangana has witnessed increasingly severe and prolonged heatwave events. According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), most parts of the State experienced at least 15 heatwave days in 2024, with districts like Nalgonda, Mancherial, Peddapalli, and Jagtial reporting over 30 days. Urban areas, particularly Hyderabad and its surrounding municipalities, were further burdened by the Urban Heat Island effect, exacerbating the impact on construction workers and daily wage earners,” as per the order.

Workers engaged in lifting cement bags. File
| Photo Credit:
NAGARA GOPAL

While districts had already initiated localised mitigation efforts, such as distributing ORS packets and setting up drinking water kiosks, the absence of a formal notification prevented the provision of adequate financial support.

The order notes that heat waves have remained a largely under-recognised hazard due to challenges in measurement and valuation. Unlike natural calamities such as floods or earthquakes that cause visible damage to infrastructure, the effects of heatwaves are mostly internal, impacting human health and often leading to under-reported mortality, particularly among vulnerable groups such as the elderly, women, children, farmers, and daily wage workers, especially those in the construction sector.

Deaths will be considered eligible only if they meet the IMD’s criteria, which defines a heatwave as a temperature of at least 40°C with a deviation of 5 to 6°C from the normal, or a persistent temperature above 45°C. Additionally, in cases where the deceased was a registered farmer under the Rythu Bima scheme, families may choose to claim the higher of the two available ex-gratia compensations, either the Rythu Bima insurance or the SDRF relief, the order said.

To ensure transparency and accountability, the new norms outline a clear diagnostic and verification process for heatwave-related deaths. This includes certification by medical officers, mandal revenue officers, and police officials, along with the maintenance of detailed district-level records.