New Delhi [India], April 28 : The Union Health Secretary on Monday wrote to all State and UT Chief Secretaries on heatwave preparedness and advised them to operationalise dedicated Heat Stroke Management Units at all health facilities, ensure adequate preparedness of ambulance services, disseminate early warnings for timely action, and enable real-time reporting of heat stroke cases on the Ministry's IHIP portal.
According to the letter, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted above-normal heatwave days across several parts of the country from April to June 2026, along with its monthly forecast for April.
It further stated that regions in East, Central, and North-West India, along with the South-East Peninsula, are likely to experience an increased number of heatwave days.
Coastal areas of Odisha, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Andhra Pradesh are also expected to be significantly affected. Additionally, isolated regions of Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka may witness similar conditions.
In view of the forecast, the Union Health Secretary urged States and Union Territories to ensure preparedness to tackle heat-related illnesses.
This includes operationalising dedicated Heat Stroke Management Units at all health facilities, ensuring adequate ambulance services, disseminating early warnings for timely action, and maintaining real-time reporting of heat stroke cases on the Ministry's Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) portal.
Earlier, the India Meteorological Department said on Sunday that maximum temperatures are in the range of 40-46 degrees Celsius over most parts of the country, except the western Himalayan region, northeast Bihar, and northeast India, where temperatures remain below 36 degrees Celsius.
The weather agency further informed that the highest maximum temperature of 46.9 degrees Celsius was recorded at Akola. The IMD also forecasted heatwave to severe heatwave conditions in isolated pockets of Himachal Pradesh on April 26, and heatwave conditions on April 27.
The department said heatwave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets over Jammu and Kashmir on April 26 and 27, and across Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Gujarat during the same period, with similar conditions expected over parts of Chhattisgarh till April 28.
Hot and humid weather conditions are also very likely to prevail in isolated pockets over Tripura, coastal Maharashtra, and coastal areas of Gujarat on April 26, while such conditions are expected over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, and Kerala during the specified period.