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IMD's prediction on heatwave calls for better policy response on preparedness

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The India Meteorological Department's (IMD) grim weather forecast for the pre-monsoon months has come as no surprise. It, however, demands preparedness and adaptation to mitigate the adverse effects on agriculture, environment, and health.

The IMD has said that most parts of the country will experience above normal temperatures during March-May, while this February was recorded as the hottest in 125 years. In agriculture, wheat is likely to be affected the most by a heat surge. Wheat inflation has been persistently high in India in recent years amid strong demand and falling production, to which adverse weather conditions have contributed especially in the months of February and March when grain formation takes place. Studies by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research have earlier projected that an increase in temperature by 1°C could whittle down wheat output by 5%.