Here’s why summer is arriving early in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Early summers are attributed to the “urban heat island” effect, where buildings and roads trap heat, making the city much hotter than surrounding rural areas, according to an urban heat data jam organised in Hyderabad.

Oorvani Foundation’s data portal, Open City, in collaboration with Uncharted Science, IIIT-Hyderabad, Climate Front Telangana, Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU), and Hyderabad Tiger Conservation Society, conducted a data jam titled “Urban Heat in Hyderabad” on Saturday, February 21.

“With each passing year, Hyderabad is experiencing worsening summers, with heat waves starting as early as February and early March. Increasing concretisation is adding to the urban heat island effect, making the mercury soar in the city,” the participants discussed.

Five teams analysed specific wards, finding that social and economic status often determine how much heat a person endures. In densely populated Hitech City, temperatures hit 50 degree celcius in the past. While daytime spikes are slightly masked by dust and construction particles, nighttime temperatures are rising, preventing the area from cooling down.

In Uppal, a massive loss of greenery over the past ten years has led to a direct increase in surface heat, especially in residential and industrial areas, they noted. In Boarabanda’s low-income area with 70 per cent slums, residents lack “cooling infrastructure” like parks, shade, or public toilets, leaving the poor most vulnerable.

Many roads leading to or in Gachibowli fail to provide shade, with road temperatures recorded as high as 45 Degrees Celcius. This affects animals like street dogs, cows, cats and birds, not physiologically capable of tolerating these temperatures.

In Jawaharnagar, the team found that the temperature around the landfill has been increasing steadily over the decade, with many residential areas mushrooming.

“Urban Heat and ecological degradation are not just environmental issues. They are questions of justice. Communities such as waste pickers, informal workers, and residents living near landfills and waste-to-energy plants are experiencing the harshest impacts of climate stress every day,” John Michael from Climate Front Telangana said.

“This is our first datajam in Hyderabad. The participants came with a lot of skill with mapping and data science, which they applied to solve civic challenges. The questions they tried to tackle showed their interest in civic issues and ability to look at the challenges from diverse angles. The government should tap into this wealth of knowledge,” said Vaidya R, Program Lead – Data, Oorvani Foundation.