Bhubaneswar, September 3: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), in partnership with environment think tank International Forum for Environment, Sustainability & Technology (iFOREST), has rolled out the country’s first Integrated Heat and Cooling Action Plan (IHCAP). The plan, unveiled on Tuesday, has been developed by iFOREST in association with the Singapore-ETH Centre (SEC) to tackle rising heat, humidity, the Urban Heat Island effect, and the soaring demand for air conditioning.

Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das said the initiative is backed by detailed research on the city’s rising temperatures and heatwave challenges. “iFOREST, in collaboration with the Singapore cooling programme, has carried out extensive studies on the heat stress faced by Bhubaneswar. The action plan not only highlights the impact of rapid urbanisation and deforestation but also suggests measures such as compensatory plantation and enhancing urban greenery,” she noted.

iFOREST CEO Chandra Bhushan underlined the uniqueness of the plan, describing it as India’s first of its kind. “The IHCAP is designed to address both the intensifying heat stress and the growing reliance on air conditioners. Its preparation involved 18 months of technical modelling and analysis under the Cooling Singapore Program,” he said.

From Singapore, Ander Zozaya, Project Manager at Cooling Singapore, ETH Centre, emphasized the collaborative nature of the project. “iFOREST has provided us with critical data for our models. In Singapore, we have successfully brought multiple agencies together for such initiatives, and now in Bhubaneswar, we are analysing and supporting the city’s integrated plan,” he explained.

The IHCAP marks a pioneering step for India in climate-resilient urban planning, combining strategies to mitigate heat stress while ensuring sustainable cooling solutions for a rapidly urbanising city.