The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Delhi government and 21 state governments to take immediate, proactive measures to protect vulnerable populations from the escalating threat of heat waves across India. The communications, sent to the Chief Secretaries of all concerned states on 28 April, stress the urgent need for integrated and inclusive relief efforts to prevent casualties during extreme heat events.

States Covered Under the Directive

The NHRC's directive encompasses 21 states — Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal — in addition to the Delhi government. Together, these jurisdictions cover a substantial share of India's population most exposed to seasonal heat stress.

Who Is Most at Risk

The NHRC observed that the increasing frequency, duration, and intensity of heat waves disproportionately affect marginalised and economically weaker sections, particularly outdoor workers and homeless persons who lack adequate shelter and resources. The commission further highlighted that the elderly, children, infants, and newborns face especially severe health consequences from prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures.

Beyond direct health impacts, the NHRC also noted that heat waves can result in loss of livelihoods and heighten the risk of fire-related incidents — second-order consequences that often go under-reported in official heat-mortality tallies.

The Scale of the Crisis: NCRB Data

Citing National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, the NHRC recorded that 3,712 deaths due to heatstroke or sunstroke were reported across India between 2019 and 2023. This figure, spread across five years, points to a persistent and worsening public health challenge — one that climate scientists warn will intensify as average temperatures continue to rise. Notably, this count covers only officially recorded deaths; actual heat-related mortality is widely considered to be higher due to under-reporting at the district level.

What the NHRC Has Asked States to Do

The apex human rights body has urged state and Delhi governments to ensure implementation of relief measures in line with their existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) or guidelines issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). It has also sought consolidated action taken reports from district authorities, to be submitted through respective state and Union Territory administrations — a step that introduces a layer of accountability beyond mere advisory compliance.

Established under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, the NHRC is an autonomous statutory body with the power to take suo motu action based on media reports or public knowledge, without requiring a formal complaint. Its intervention signals that heat wave preparedness is no longer being treated solely as a disaster management issue, but as a matter of constitutional rights — specifically the rights to life, liberty, equality, and dignity. How swiftly states translate this directive into on-ground action will determine its real-world impact ahead of what forecasters expect to be a severe summer season.