Both maximum and minimal temperatures are bound to witness a surge in cities across the country as summers are highly troublesome. A small disparity in temperature can make a huge impact on living conditions. According to NASA, the average earth temperature has risen by 0.8 degree Celsius since 1880. The year 2016, according to NASA, has been the warmest in a 138-year period. The persistence power of greenhouse gases is linked to the constant augmentation of temperature around the world. India's heat-related mortality is always on an upward swing. Heat waves are ever increasing with a reduction in the cold waves which makes the spiralling hot waves difficult to control. Air and water quality will see a downward trend with fluctuation in temperature.
From 2013-2017, more than 4,000 people have succumbed to heat waves in India. Poor people with no roof over their heads or those deprived of cooling system within the four walls are acutely affected by heat waves. Approximately, four per cent of India's population cannot do without air conditioners. The dying of crops and water scarcity add to the woes of our farmers. Some 75 per cent of the population are said to be exposed to a temperature level which can be fatal. Infections and diseases invariably lead to absenteeism in work places. All this, and more, can have a telling effect on our economy. It is incumbent upon India, which has been in the forefront of the Paris Climate Agreement, to reduce carbon emission and ensure low carbon production. The Government must take measures to protect the shelterless.