తెలంగాణలో ఎండలు ఏటా ఎందుకు మండిపోతున్నాయి?

Why Telangana's summers are getting hotter every year

April is here and the only discussion in Telangana is — "How sunny is it this time?" It is not uncommon for temperatures to cross 45 degrees Celsius in places like Ramagundam, Adilabad, Mancherial, Nalgonda, and Bhadrachalam. Heatstroke deaths are recorded every summer due to heat waves. Why is this heat increasing? What are the reasons for this? What can we do?

Geographical position of Telangana

Telangana is located on the Deccan Plateau. Being far from the coast, the coolness of the sea breezes does not reach here. In summer, dry and hot winds from the northwest increase the temperature further. Experts say that coal mines and thermal power plants in areas like Ramagundam in the Godavari basin also increase the local heat.

Climate change — a global cause

Scientists estimate that the average temperature of the Earth has already risen by about one and a half degrees compared to pre-industrial times. The impact of this is felt differently in different regions. In India, the number of hot days is increasing, summer is starting earlier, and night temperatures are not decreasing either. Not cooling down at night is very dangerous for the body — there is no chance to recover from the heat of the day.

"Heat Island" in Cities

Cities like Hyderabad have another problem — the "urban heat island". Concrete buildings and asphalt roads absorb heat during the day and release it at night. The hot air coming out of ACs and the smoke from vehicles also add to the problem. The lack of ponds and green spaces means that natural cooling is lost. That's why the temperature in the center of the city is a few degrees higher than in the villages on the outskirts.

Greenery loss

Forests and trees keep the soil cool. Cutting down trees for road expansion and real estate reduces that protection. Recognizing this problem, the Telangana government launched a massive plantation program in 2015 called "Telanganaku Harithaharam". Crores of saplings have been planted. But the real question is how many of the saplings will survive — it is more important to grow them than to plant them.

Who is at greater risk?

Agricultural laborers, construction workers, delivery workers, traffic police, the elderly, children, pregnant women, and people with diabetes and high blood pressure who work in the sun are most affected by heat waves. The houses of the poor have thatched roofs, so the heat is also high inside.

What should governments do?

• Implementing a "Heat Action Plan" at the district level — early warnings, preparedness of hospitals.

• Employment guarantee works, shifting the working hours of workers to morning and evening.

• Drinking water stations and shade arrangements near bus stands and markets.

• Promoting "cool roofs" (white reflective roofs) in new buildings.

• Protecting ponds and increasing green spaces in cities.

What can we do?

Planting at least one tree around the house, painting the roof white, not going outside between 12 noon and 3 pm, drinking plenty of water, and putting up water bowls for birds and animals — these are small things, but the impact is big.

Conclusion

Heat is no longer just a weather story; it is a health, agricultural, and economic issue. The actions we take today will determine how cool Telangana will be for generations to come.