No Research Done On Heat Risks: CPCB Tells Green Tribunal
In its written reply submitted to NGT, the CPCB stated that it has not undertaken any research activity on the heat risks, reports Santu Das
Published : August 18, 2026 at 6:49 PM IST
New Delhi: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has said that it has not undertaken any research activity on the heat risks. The CPCB made this revelation before the National Green Tribunal after it sought a response from it while taking note of a report relating to the impact of rising temperature.
The Tribunal had registered a suo motu case in May this year following a news report which claimed that the rising temperature is hurting people's health, learning and productivity and also affecting the economy.
It highlighted that the country continues to face conventional serious, intense extreme heat, and every summer, soaring temperatures affect lives, livelihood, power system and water availability, which also impacts agricultural productivity.
In the same month, during the hearing, the Principal Bench of the Tribunal comprising Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member Afroz Ahmed underlined the immediate needs for specific research program on heat risk, stronger support system, ground observations, high resolution thermal mapping, mobile temperature surveys, open access data, environmental impacts and climate adaptations.
Pointing out that it is a serious climate change issue, especially for the Northern, Central and Eastern parts of the country, it stated that the issue was very serious as it relates to climate change and also anthropogenic activities, and required measures be put in place to address these.
The tribunal observed that a response from the States and their authorities is required to develop short-term and long-term adaptation strategies for rising temperatures caused by climatic conditions and anthropogenic activities during summer months.
Accordingly, the Tribunal then issued notices to several state governments including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra; several Union Ministries including Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Earth Sciences and Jal Shakti; and CPCB and sought their respective responses.
In its recent reply submitted to the NGT, a copy of which was accessed by ETV Bharat, the CPCB stated that it performs functions under the Water Act, 1974, the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
It said the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) are empowered to perform the functions and implement the provisions of these Acts in respect of territories falling in their respective territorial jurisdiction.
Referring to the news report, the CPCB said it highlights the serious environmental concerns arising out of increasing temperatures and recurring heat wave conditions affecting human health, livelihood, agriculture, water availability, biodiversity and ecosystems.
It further emphasises that heat waves, driven by climate change and anthropogenic activities, require region-specific adaptation strategies, scientific monitoring, high-resolution thermal mapping, improved weather forecasting, open-access climate data and coordinated institutional response to mitigate the adverse environmental impacts.
"No such research activity has been undertaken by CPCB over the heat risks highlighted in the news item," it said.
The CPCB urged the tribunal to pass "necessary directions" in this matter, and it shall abide by all such orders or directions.
Reacting to the CPCB's response before the Tribunal, Prakriti Srivastava, a retired Indian Forest Service officer asserted that this admission exposes a critical policy gap and regulatory mismatch in India’s climate adaptation and disaster management apparatus.
"Without standard research or data models from a central scientific body like the CPCB, state governments cannot accurately craft micro-level heat resilience plans. India must transition from a reactive disaster response model to a proactive, legally mandated environmental framework," she told ETV Bharat.
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