New Delhi, Oct 23 (IANS) Pointing to the 3,639 cold wave deaths reported between 2019 and 2023, the NHRC on Thursday asked 19 state governments and 4 UT Administrations to take pre-emptive steps and implement relief measures for vulnerable people ahead of the upcoming winter season.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) directed the State and UT governments to protect newborns, children, infants, poor, elderly, homeless, destitutes and people involved in beggary, who are at risk of exposure to cold waves due to lack of shelter and resources, said a statement.

The Commission also called for Action-Taken Reports from the government on steps taken to deal with cold waves and stressed upon the need for sensitising the State/UT authorities concerned.

Highlighting the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report titled ‘Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India,’ between 2019 and 2023, the Commission noted that a total of 3,639 people reportedly died from exposure to cold waves in the country.

In its communication to the states and UT Administrations, the Commission reiterated the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) guidelines to mitigate the impact of cold waves.

The Commission acknowledged that changing weather patterns due to climate change affect human rights and affirmed its commitment to protect vulnerable populations impacted by extreme weather events, ensuring their dignity is respected and upheld.

The NHRC urged the sensitisation of officials and sought Action Taken Reports from authorities on the measures adopted to prevent any untoward incidents and protect vulnerable populations from the adverse effects of cold waves.

It also listed the NDMA guidelines to mitigate the impact of cold waves, which include: Establishing treatment protocols; setting up day and night shelters; providing medical care and implementing standard treatment procedures for cold-related illnesses and ensuring consistent monitoring of the relief efforts and adopting a proactive approach to ensure their effectiveness.

According to the NCRB’s report titled ‘Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India,’ 2023, out of the 6,444 accidental deaths attributable to forces of nature, about 11.4 per cent deaths were due to ‘Exposure to Cold’.

–IANS

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