The Chief Minister's Office of Rajasthan announced on Thursday, 28 May 2026 that Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma has appealed to residents across the state to take special care of their health amid severe summer heat and the ongoing Nautapa period, urging them to incorporate protective measures into their daily routines.

In his appeal, CM Bhajanlal Sharma called on people to drink adequate quantities of water, take care of children, the elderly, and those who are unwell, and to strictly follow guidelines issued by the state administration and the Health Department of Rajasthan. He also conveyed his wishes for the good health of all residents of the state.

Context

Nautapa — nau meaning nine and tapa meaning heat — refers to a traditional nine-day period of intense heat in northern and western India that typically falls in late May or early June according to the traditional Hindu calendar. Rajasthan, India's largest state by area, is characterised by arid and semi-arid terrain, making it one of the most heat-vulnerable regions in the country. Summer temperatures in the state's desert districts regularly exceed 45 degrees Celsius, placing significant stress on public health infrastructure.

The Chief Minister's public appeal comes at a time when northwest India has been experiencing prolonged and intensifying heat-wave conditions. The advisory specifically highlights vulnerable groups — children, the elderly, and the infirm — as requiring heightened attention from families and communities.

Policy Backdrop

Rajasthan has a standing practice of releasing annual heat-action plans and public advisories ahead of and during the summer season, a practice maintained across successive state administrations. These plans are aligned with the framework established by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), which issued national guidelines for heat-wave preparation and mitigation in 2016 and has updated them in subsequent years.

The state's Health Department and district administrations are designated as the primary bodies for issuing operational directives, coordinating hospital preparedness, and managing emergency responses during heat events. The CM's appeal reinforces the institutional chain by directing residents to follow those official guidelines.

Stakeholders and Impact

The advisory is directed at all residents of Rajasthan, with particular emphasis on households that include children, senior citizens, or people with pre-existing health conditions — groups identified as most susceptible to heat-related illness such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Community caregivers, ASHA workers, and local health volunteers are implicitly called upon to extend outreach to vulnerable individuals who may not have access to regular health information.

The broader public is urged to make behavioural adjustments — principally increased hydration and avoidance of outdoor exposure during peak heat hours — as first-line defences. These measures carry no cost and can be adopted immediately, making them the most scalable public health intervention available at the household level.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to whether district-level administrations in Rajasthan follow up the CM's appeal with concrete operational orders, such as opening cooling centres, extending hospital emergency capacity, or suspending outdoor labour during peak afternoon hours. Forecasts from the India Meteorological Department for northwest India in the coming days will determine the duration and severity of the current heat spell. Should temperatures remain extreme beyond the Nautapa window, further advisories or emergency measures from the state government are likely.