UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice — GS 1 : Questions on impact of heatwaves in Indian cities and historical evolution of the term ‘caste’ (Week 103)

QUESTION 1

The urban heat island effect exacerbates the impact of heatwaves in Indian cities. Analyse the effectiveness of interventions like reflective roofing, green spaces, and cooling centers in mitigating this effect.

QUESTION 2

The term “caste” is widely used to describe India’s social stratification system. However, the word itself has European origins, and it was introduced by Portuguese traders in the 15th century. Discuss the historical evolution of the term “caste”.

General points on the structure of the answers

Introduction

— The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction.

— It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts.

Body

— It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content.

— The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points.

— Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse.

QUESTION 1: The urban heat island effect exacerbates the impact of heatwaves in Indian cities. Analyse the effectiveness of interventions like reflective roofing, green spaces, and cooling centers in mitigating this effect.

Introduction:

— Heatwaves have become a public health and economic emergency, with temperatures in several sections of the country exceeding 45 degrees Celsius (113°F). The lack of heatwave-specific infrastructure puts millions of people at danger of mortality, heatstroke, and dehydration.

— As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of excessive heat, India must move quickly to build a strong, national heatwave mitigation strategy.

Body:

— Geographically, the country is prone to heatwaves. Between March and June, more than 80% of the country experiences high heat, with northern and central areas such as Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh frequently reaching more than 40 degrees Celsius. Urban areas like Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Chennai become heat sinks, and the heat builds up on the concrete-heavy skyline due to the urban heat island (UHI) effect.

— A 2023 Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) study predicts that heatwaves would become 30% more frequent and intense by 2050.

Impact of heatwaves in Indian cities

— Heatwaves endanger the livelihoods of India’s vast outdoor workforce. Heat-induced productivity losses in India are predicted to cost $100 billion by 2022. According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), small companies in the informal economy bear a disproportionate burden.

— In 2024, Delhi recorded more than 200 heatwave-related deaths in a single week, with hospitals and mortuaries at capacity. These are not isolated events, but rather indicators of systemic underpreparedness.

— Without infrastructure to combat these situations, the impact on human health may be and is severe. Heatstroke, organ failure, and cardiovascular strain disproportionately affect the elderly, children, and low-income groups, who do not have access to cooling or medical care.

Mitigation of Heat Waves

— Public-private collaborations can hasten progress. Private companies might provide cooling technology, while non-governmental organisations (NGOs) could coordinate community engagement. Given India’s high vulnerability to climate change, international support, such as climate adaptation funds, could help to offset costs.

— Every town, city, and rural area should have cooling centres that are easily accessible to everyone. Shelters equipped with water, shade, fans, and basic medical care provided by a local ambulance service might be useful during extreme heat.

— Urban planning that prioritises heat-resilient design is required. Reflective roofs, improved ventilation, and green spaces can all help to reduce outdoor temperatures significantly.

— Early warning systems, which are already operational in states such as Gujarat and Odisha, must be implemented on a national basis.

— Cheap cooling systems are critical for low-income families. Subsidised fans, evaporative coolers, and community cooling stations could help bridge the gap for the nearly 88% of Indian families without access to air conditioning.

— The healthcare industry must be prepared for a heatwave, with trained personnel, ample supplies, and well-planned processes for dealing with the conditions and patients suffering from heat-related disorders.

Conclusion:

— Building a national heatwave infrastructure is more than a policy choice; it is a moral and economic necessity.

— Planting heat-tolerant plants and establishing urban forests should be a national priority in combating heat island impacts.

— Mobile apps and SMS notifications can function in remote locations, but they necessitate investment in digital infrastructure.

(Source: Five things India needs to do to combat heatwave)

Points to Ponder

Read more about heatwaves

How heatwave is declared – is there any difference between heatwave in plains and heatwave in hilly terrain?

Related Previous Year Questions

What is the phenomenon of ‘Cloudbursts’? Explain. (2024)

Bring out the causes for the formation of heat islands in the urban habitat of the world. What do you understand by the phenomenon of ‘temperature inversion’ in meteorology? How does it affect weather and the habitants of the place? (2013)

QUESTION 2: The term “caste” is widely used to describe India’s social stratification system. However, the word itself has European origins, and it was introduced by Portuguese traders in the 15th century. Discuss the historical evolution of the term “caste”.

Introduction:

— In India, caste is seen as an ancient Hindu social system founded on the notions of varna (class), karma (activity), and dharma (obligation), as outlined in the legal classic Manusmriti.

— The varna system classified society into four major groups: Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, with the “untouchables” falling outside and below this hierarchy.

Body:

— Despite having ancient roots in Indian history, the present concept and usage of the term “caste” arose from European involvement. According to sociologist Surinder S Jodhka in Caste: Oxford India Short Introductions (2012), the term “caste” is the English translation of the Spanish word casta, which means “race”.

— Portuguese traders landed on India’s west coast in the 15th century and were the first to use the phrase in reference to Indian society.

— The Portuguese served key roles as interpreters, seamen, and clerks. According to historian Sumit Guha’s Beyond Caste: Identity and Power in South Asia, Past and Present (2013), their language “became a major lingua franca in the Asian seas.” Westerners began to understand and characterise Indian society using Portuguese as a lingua franca, with the British leading the way.

— Spain and Portugal spearheaded early European colonial expansion and established the Atlantic slave trade in the 15th and 16th centuries. Guha explains that casta originally referred to a pure lineage or species. When applied to individuals, it described a social order based on biological parenting, with a group’s purity and nobleness determined by the chastity of its women. Iberian explorers utilised this concept to categorise the groups they found during imperial expansion in the Americas and Asia, viewing them as biologically distinct and ranking.

— In a similar vein to the Indic idea of jati, Guha observes that some vocations, such as executioners and tanners, were seen to “stain” the character of people who performed them and their descendants due to their relationship with mortality. These worries were important to the Indian caste system, “though in it fear of contamination of body substance by impure food or touch was much more prominent.”

— According to Guha, Spanish American regulations in the 18th century prohibited marrying between high and low-status groups, a practice known as varṇa-saṁkara in Sanskrit. The Portuguese, the first Europeans to interact with Indian civilisation, “were evolving a system of ethnic and social stratification by biological ancestry,” and thus, according to Guha, they concluded Indian jatis were also created to protect “purity of blood.”

(Source: Caste: how a Spanish word, carried by the Portuguese, came to describe social order in India)

Points to Ponder

Read more about Portugese

Read about varna system

Related Previous Year Questions

Intercaste marriages between castes which have socio-economic parity have increased, to some extent, but this is less true of interreligious marriages. Discuss. (2024)

Why is caste identity in India both fluid and static? (2023)

Previous Mains Answer Practice

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 102)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 103)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 102)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 103)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 102)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 101)

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