Heat Action Plans (HAPs) and Disaster Management Framework
Environment & Ecology
- PYQs8
- Articles1
Background
Highlights proactive governance, climate change adaptation strategies, disaster preparedness, and the role of state and central agencies in protecting vulnerable populations. Relevant for GS2 (Governance, Disaster Management, Welfare Schemes), GS3 (Environment).
Heat Action Plans (HAPs) are comprehensive policy instruments designed to prepare for and respond to extreme heat events, integrating early warning systems, vulnerability mapping, and targeted interventions. They form a critical part of the broader disaster management framework for climate change adaptation.
Facts & tables
- Localized Approach
- Tamil Nadu's HAP 2026 focuses on localized risk assessment, taluk-level heat thresholds, and improved inter-departmental coordination.
- Key Measures
- Includes early warning systems, heat vulnerability mapping, rescheduling outdoor work, ensuring access to drinking water, and enhanced surveillance of heat-related diseases.
- Disaster Notification
- Heatwaves notified as a State-specific disaster in Tamil Nadu (2024), enabling the use of State Disaster Response Funds for preparedness and relief, including compensation for heat-related deaths.
- Health Sector Focus
- Calls for training healthcare workers and providing medical assistance and oral rehydration salts in affected areas.
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | Disaster Management |
| Conceptual area | Climate Change Adaptation |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority | Launches and coordinates haps, manages disaster response |
| Tamil Nadu Disaster Risk Reduction Agency | Supports hap implementation and risk reduction |
| India Meteorological Department (IMD) | Provides weather forecasts and inputs for early warning systems |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Statement-based questions
Prelims angle: Factual recall
- HAPs: proactive plans for heatwave management.
- Key features: early warning, vulnerability mapping, localized interventions.
- Heatwaves declared State-specific disaster for funding/response.
- Focus on inter-departmental coordination and public awareness.
- Aims to protect vulnerable populations and ensure health services.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2026 | Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding |
| 2025 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2025 | Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding |
| 2023 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2023 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
| 2016 | Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding |
| 2016 | Statement-based questions, Factual recall |
Timeline
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Disaster Management
Conceptual area
-
Climate Change Adaptation
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2016
Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2016
Statement-based questions, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2023
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2023
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2025
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2025
Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2026
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2026
Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding
-
Beyond high temperatures: understanding heat stress in Tamil Nadu
HAPs are crucial policy tools for managing heatwave impacts, involving early warnings, vulnerability assessments, and coordinated departmental responses. Notifying heatwaves as a disaster strengthens the legal and financial framework for preparedness and relief.
See also
Past papers
2016–2026 · 8 questions
In the news
Beyond high temperatures: understanding heat stress in Tamil Nadu
HAPs are crucial policy tools for managing heatwave impacts, involving early warnings, vulnerability assessments, and coordinated departmental responses. Notifying heatwaves as a disaster strengthens the legal and financial framework for preparedness and relief.
Try these PYQs
With reference to ‘Agenda 21’, sometimes seen in the news, consider the following statements:
1. It is a global action plan for sustainable development.
2. It originated in the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in 2002
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is correct: Agenda 21 is a comprehensive global action plan adopted at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the Rio Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992. It provides a framework for achieving sustainable development by integrating environmental protection, social equity, and economic growth at global, national, and local levels. Statement 2 is incorrect: The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), held in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2002, reviewed and reaffirmed the commitments made under Agenda 21 but did not introduce it. Instead, the summit focused on assessing progress, strengthening implementation, and launching new initiatives, including the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI).
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Carbon markets are likely to be one of the most widespread tools in the fight against climate change.
Statement-II: Carbon markets transfer resources from the private sector to the State.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
* Carbon markets, which include mechanisms like cap-and-trade systems and carbon offsets, are increasingly being used as a tool to incentivize emissions reductions and help in the fight against climate change. So, statement 1 is true. * Carbon markets typically work by transferring resources from emitters (usually in the private sector) to entities that can reduce or remove greenhouse gas emissions, which can be either private entities or the government. So, statement 2 can also be true.
With reference to coal-based thermal power plants in India, consider the following statements :
1. None of them uses seawater.
2. None of them is set up in water-stressed district.
3. None of them is privately owned.
How many of the above statements are correct?
* Statement 1 is incorrect: The Mundra Thermal Power Plant employs a closed-cycle induced draft circulating cooling water system that utilises seawater. Seawater is drawn from the Gulf of Kutch through robust glass reinforced pipes of significant diameter. In addition, purified seawater from a reverse osmosis plant is utilised by various supplementary systems. * Statement 2 is incorrect: According to recent research by WRI (World Resources Institute), 40 percent of India's thermal power plants are situated in regions experiencing significant water stress. This poses a challenge as these plants rely on water for cooling purposes. The scarcity of water is already causing disruptions in electricity generation in these areas, with 14 out of India's 20 largest thermal utilities having experienced at least one shutdown between 2013 and 2016 due to water shortages. * Statement 3 is incorrect: India has a total of 269 Thermal Power Plants, with 138 of them being owned by the public sector and the remaining 131 owned by the private sector.
Which of the following statements in relation to NIRANTAR (National Institute for Research and Application of Natural Resources to Transform, Adapt and Build Resilience), a platform of institutions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, is/are correct ?
1. Ecosystem Survey and Analysis is a vertical under this platform, the lead institute of which is Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata.
2. Research and Management of Ecosystem Service is a vertical under this platform, the lead institute of which is Central Zoo Authority, New Delhi.
3. Capacity Development Support is a vertical under this platform, the lead institute of which is Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal.
Select the answer using the code given below :
Statement 1 is Correct: The National Institute for Research and Application of Natural Resources to Transform, Adapt and Build Resilience (NIRANTAR) is a collaborative platform under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). Ecosystem Survey & Analysis is one of its four thematic verticals, and its lead institute is the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Kolkata. Statement 2 is Incorrect: The Research and Management of Ecosystem Service vertical is led by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun, not the Central Zoo Authority (CZA). The CZA is merely a participating institute under this vertical. Statement 3 is Correct: The Capacity Development Support vertical focuses on research, education, and capacity building. The lead institute for this vertical is the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.
What is/are the importance/importances of the ‘United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification?
1. It aims to promote effective action through innovative national programmes and supportive international partnerships.
2. It has a special/particular focus on South Asia and North Africa region, and its secretariat facilitates the allocation of the major portion of financial resources to these regions.
3. It is committed to the bottom-up approach, encouraging the participation of local people in combating desertification.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Statement 1 is correct: Desertification is a global environmental challenge, and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) serves as a key platform for international cooperation. It facilitates the sharing of knowledge, resources, and best practices among countries to develop sustainable solutions for land degradation and desertification. Statement 2 is incorrect: While the UNCCD does support efforts in regions highly vulnerable to desertification, such as South Asia and North Africa, its mandate is global, addressing desertification and land degradation worldwide. Statement 3 is correct: Communities living in arid and semi-arid regions are the most affected by desertification. These local populations possess traditional ecological knowledge crucial for sustainable land management. The UNCCD actively promotes community involvement in decision-making, policy implementation, and resource management to ensure effective, locally adapted solutions.
Show 3 more PYQs
Consider the following statements with reference to India's response to climate change :
I. India's Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) is a crucial tool for achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.
II. India's 4th Biennial Update Report (BUR-4) submitted in December, 2024 recorded around 8% decrease in Greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 over 2019.
III. Climate-resilient development necessarily depends on quick and short-term achievement of emission reduction targets.
Which of the following relationships among the above statements is/are correct ?
1. Statement I is empirically supported by statement II.
2. Statement III contradicts the approach implicit in statement I.
3. Statement I and statement III together establish the premise of long-term sustainability.
Select the answer using the code given below :
Statement I is Correct: India's Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) is indeed a crucial tool for achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. It outlines the strategic framework necessary for sectoral transitions in energy, transport, industry, and forestry to meet this long-term goal. Statement II is Incorrect: While India's 4th Biennial Update Report (BUR-4) does record an approximately 8% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 compared to 2019, this decrease is attributed to the economic slowdown and lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, not to structural or strategic efforts towards long-term emission reductions. Therefore, it does not empirically support the strategic framework of LT-LEDS. Statement III is Correct: The IPCC emphasizes that climate-resilient development depends on rapid, deep, and immediate emission reductions in the short term. This approach can be seen as contradicting the long-term focus of strategies like LT-LEDS if they do not also incorporate aggressive short-term actions. Therefore, the correct relationship is that Statement III contradicts the approach implicit in Statement I, making option B correct.
Consider the following statements:
Statement I:
Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on climate change is frequently discussed in global discussions on sustainable development and climate change.
Statement II:
Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on climate change sets out the principles of carbon markets.
Statement III:
Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on climate change intends to promote inter-country non-market strategies to reach their climate targets.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Article 6 of the Paris Agreement is crucial as it outlines international cooperation through both carbon markets and non-market approaches to help countries meet climate goals. ✅ Statement I is correct:
* Article 6 is widely discussed because it enables cooperation through market and non-market means to fight climate change. ✅ Statement II is correct:
* It defines rules for carbon markets, including carbon trading and credit mechanisms. ✅ Statement III is correct:
* It also promotes non-market tools like technology transfer and capacity building to reach climate targets. So, the correct answer is: A
Consider the following statements:
Statement I:
At the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), India refrained from signing the “Declaration on Climate and Health”.
Statement II:
The COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health is a binding declaration; and if signed, it becomes mandatory to decarbonize health sector.
Statement III:
If India’s health sector is decarbonized, the resilience of its health-care system may be compromised.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
At COP28, India chose not to sign the “Declaration on Climate and Health,” and this decision can be understood by analyzing the nature of the declaration and India’s concerns. ✅ Statement I: Correct. India did not sign the COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health, unlike over 120 other countries. ❌ Statement II: Incorrect. The declaration is not legally binding; it is a voluntary political commitment. Signing it does not legally mandate countries to decarbonize their health sectors immediately. ✅Statement III: Correct. India’s concern is that rapid decarbonization of its health sector could compromise the resilience and accessibility of healthcare services, given current developmental challenges and resource constraints. Therefore, only Statement III correctly explains Statement I, while Statement II is factually wrong about the binding nature of the declaration.