With extreme heat related events on the rise, Maharashtra government is developing a first-of-its-kind Heat Resilience Framework for Mumbai, Thane and Nagpur cities in a pilot project which seeks to enhance preparedness and responsiveness during heatwave events. The framework will conduct a ward level analysis to map areas facing the highest risk of heat duress, while assessing the cities’ vulnerabilities on five parameters ranging from social to economic factors. According to senior officials, the project seeks to adopt a structured approach to address heat-related challenges and access vulnerabilities at the local level. Speaking at the National Disaster Management Authority’s International workshop on heatwave in February earlier this year, Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik said the initiative will support urban bodies in identifying key areas requiring intervention to strengthen resilience against rising temperatures, as opposed to having a generic approach to heat action at local level. “By enabling local self-governments to analyze various indicators—such as access to essential services, economic stability, and environmental risks—it aims to facilitate targeted policy actions and improve preparedness for extreme heat …