The Facts
On Sunday, 12 people died and many others were hospitalized from heatstroke after attending an hours-long government-sponsored award ceremony held in India's Maharashtra state.
The Maharashtra Bhushan award ceremony was organized to celebrate the work of Appasaheb Dharmadhikari, a social reformer and spiritual leader. The event was held in an open field in the Kharghar locality and reportedly lacked suitable facilities resulting in heat-related illnesses and deaths.
The Spin
Narrative A
March 2022 saw the hottest March recorded in India in 122 years since records began. Coupled with the heat came a significant reduction in rainfall leading to scorching hot and dry conditions throughout the country. While heatwaves are not uncommon, the increase in deaths from extreme heat during unusual times from severe conditions proves climate change is devastatingly impacting the region. Climate scientists believe that the likelihood of similar events as March 2022, has increased 30-fold because of global changes. India is on the front lines of the climate threat.
Narrative B
The Indian government must do better in preparation for heat waves, regardless of the cause. The Indian government is failing to protect people from rising heat. In a country where less than 10% of people have access to air conditioning and the annual death rate due to heat-related illness is climbing, negligence is causing unnecessary deaths in sweltering conditions.
