Jammu Tawi, March 20 -- While the country has witnessed a rising number of heatwave-related deaths in recent years, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh have recorded zero fatalities due to extreme heat from 2020 to 2024, reveals a report released by the Government of India.

The report stated that Punjab and Uttar Pradesh recorded 130 deaths respectively, while 90 people died in Maharashtra due to extreme heat. In contrast, J&K and Ladakh, along with several north-eastern states, have reported no heat-related deaths during this period.

The Centre, the report states, has undertaken multiple initiatives to address the increasing severity of heatwaves across the country. "Under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), state governments can allocate...