Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Friday, 29 May 2026, issued a public appeal urging residents across the state to take precautions as temperatures continue to rise during Nautapa, the traditional nine-day period of peak summer heat. In a post on X, the Chief Minister called on citizens to stay hydrated, avoid stepping out in direct sunlight, and pay special attention to children, the elderly, and the sick.

Writing in Hindi, Sharma addressed his message to 'mere pyare pradeshwasiyo' ['my dear fellow residents of the state'], warning that temperatures in Rajasthan are climbing sharply on account of Nautapa. 'Your alertness is your greatest protection in this heat,' he said, urging people to drink plenty of water and fluids and to limit outdoor exposure during peak afternoon hours.

Context

Nautapa refers to a roughly nine-day window, typically falling in late May and early June, when the sun is positioned over the Rohini lunar constellation and temperatures in north and west India reach their annual peak. In Rajasthan, an arid and semi-arid state, this period regularly sees mercury climbing well past 45°C in several districts, placing vulnerable populations at acute risk of heat stroke and dehydration.

The Chief Minister's appeal comes as the state enters one of the most demanding stretches of the summer calendar. The advisory is consistent with annual heat-action communications the Rajasthan government has issued each May-June season in coordination with meteorological warnings.

Policy Backdrop

Rajasthan has maintained a framework of summer heat advisories and heat action plans since at least 2019, aligned with guidelines issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Those guidelines emphasise hydration, access to shade, and the establishment of community water points — all elements that Sharma's post explicitly echoes.

The Chief Minister went beyond a standard safety advisory by calling on citizens to set up 'pyaau' [roadside water kiosks] offering cold drinking water to passers-by, and to place grain and water on rooftops and courtyards for birds and animals. This community-service dimension reflects the NDMA model of distributed, citizen-led heat response rather than purely government-driven relief.

Stakeholders and Impact

The advisory directly concerns Rajasthan's population of roughly 8 crore residents, with particular urgency for children, senior citizens, outdoor labourers, and livestock. Birds and stray animals, which lack access to natural water sources as ponds dry up, are explicitly named as a concern — an unusual inclusion that broadens the appeal into an environmental welfare message.

Community organisations, resident welfare associations, and individual households are the primary actors the Chief Minister is calling upon. By framing water distribution as an expression of 'seva aur samvedanshilta ki sanskriti' ['a culture of service and sensitivity'], the appeal carries a social-mobilisation tone alongside its public-health purpose.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to whether the state activates additional administrative measures — such as opening cooling shelters, extending water-tanker operations in drought-prone districts, or issuing formal heat-emergency orders — should temperatures remain extreme through June 2026. Meteorological bulletins for the coming weeks will be closely watched as an indicator of whether the current Nautapa cycle intensifies or eases. The Chief Minister's public communication signals that the administration is in active monitoring mode ahead of any such escalation.