In the wake of a sudden rise in temperature driving up the heat index in Kerala and forecasts that mercury will continue to rise, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has asked the Department of Local Self-Government to submit a detailed project on the impact of the rising Mitigate heat by implementing “cool roofs” and other medium- and long-term community-based structural and non-structural projects to reduce heat risk.
Speaking to The Hindu, KSDMA Member Secretary Sekhar L. Kuriakose said that in a first policy decision of its kind, a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Pinarayi Vijayan decided to use state disaster relief funds for medium to long-term heat-risk mitigation measures in the state by the local self-government. Projects will be reviewed by an Evaluation Committee and with the approval of the State Executive Committee, while funds will be provided to local self-governments for the implementation of structural and non-structural heat risk reduction measures based on the KSDMA Action Plan.
Even if the situation continues normally, by 2040 there will be a temperature increase of around 1.2 degrees Celsius in many parts of the country. In Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 8.5 scenarios, this can increase by up to 1.4 degrees Celsius in some places on average. Therefore, it is important to ensure that local self-governments raise awareness and take proactive measures to reduce heat risks, Mr Kuriakose said.
Among the various projects conceived under the Heat Action Plan to mitigate the impact are “cool roofs” – roofs painted primarily with reflective paints – which reflect sunlight and absorb less heat, significantly lowering indoor temperatures. Experts say “cool roofs” reflect sunlight and heat, unlike traditional dark roofs that absorb heat.
Aside from the introduction of cool roofs, the demolition of unwanted structures has also been proposed, along with other mid- to long-term mitigation measures to reduce the urban heat island effect. The state had previously decided to set up and fund cooling centers under the name “Thaneer Pandals” in all local self-governments, market centers and other places of public gatherings to combat the rising heat.
www.thehindu.com
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/rising-temperatures-kerala-eyes-cool-roofing-solutions-to-beat-the-heat/article66680204.ece
