Syllabus: 

GS2: Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Context:

Recently, the Mariwala Health Initiative had studied three rural Rajasthan communities to evaluate how heat stress affects the mental health of highly marginalized workers.

More on the News

• The study included 97 participants, 43 men and 53 women, and four focus group discussions with women. 
• The group came from OBC, ST, SC, Muslim, Christian, and general caste communities, as well as families impacted by silicosis.
• A multi-city study in India found that around 1,116 people die from extreme heat each year.

Psychological Manifestations of Heat Stress

• Prolonged exposure to heat influences people’s perceptions of themselves, their families, and their community members, leading to a range of psychosocial responses.
• Workers reported extreme irritation, tension, heightened fatigue, and intense mood changes, including sadness, anxiety, and anger.
• Increased short-temperedness, poor decision-making, and instances of violent behaviour and language were observed affecting cognitive function, leading to difficulties with concentration and decision-making. 
• Both men and women expressed heightened anxiety about agricultural harvest failures and their uncertain future.
• Some men resorted to increased alcohol and substance consumption, leading to impulse control issues and depressive episodes.

Exacerbating Factors

• The constant fear of wage cuts for reduced productivity forces workers to continue labouring in extreme heat, fueling anxiety, helplessness, and depression.
• Women, who often manage both household chores and outdoor work, face increased risks of gender-based violence and social isolation when work sites shut down due to heat.
• Heat worsens chronic illnesses like silicosis, triggering panic and depression, while poor healthcare access adds to their struggle. 
• Lack of shade and water at worksites worsens hardships, with marginalized groups often denied shared water access.

Policy Gaps

India’s disaster management framework determines which calamities qualify for financial assistance through the National and State Disaster Response Funds. 

• However, extreme heat, despite its devastating impact on lives and livelihoods is not recognised as a disaster eligible for relief measures, except in a few States. 
• This exclusion leaves millions, particularly rural workers, without institutional support during increasingly frequent and intense heat waves.

As per the study, there was no evidence of promised interventions being implemented on the ground, raising concerns about the State's commitment to protecting its most vulnerable citizens.

Rajasthan has introduced a Rural Heat Action Plan. However, the plan falls short in several key areas. 

• It does not account for how different marginalised communities are disproportionately affected by extreme heat. 
• Climate adaptation measures ignore their specific needs, like water access, shade, rest provisions, and compensation for heat-related work loss.
• The plan completely overlooks the mental health consequences of heat stress.
• Poor awareness and implementation cast doubt on the plan’s effectiveness and the State’s commitment to safeguarding its most marginalized from rising heat waves.

Way Forward 

• There is a high need for public health interventions addressing not only physical dangers but also the psychosocial effects of rising heat. 
• Policy and related strategies must engage with the deep structural inequalities tied to heat-related psychosocial stressors.
• Mandate and ensure access to shaded resting areas, adequate drinking water, and sanitation facilities at all rural worksites. 
• Implement robust social safety nets to cushion the financial impact of reduced workdays during extreme heat, preventing forced labor in hazardous conditions.  

Source: The Hindu

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/the-impact-of-heat-stress-on-the-mental-health-of-rural-workers-in-rajasthan/article69786821.ece