IIT Bhubaneswar Odisha thermal hotspot study

A study by researchers from the School of Earth, Ocean and Climate Sciences at IIT Bhubaneswar, published in Environmental Science: Advances (Royal Society of Chemistry), analyzed 20 years of satellite data to map land surface thermal hotspots across all 30 districts of India — Odisha. The study found that rapid urbanization, industrial expansion, and land degradation are driving a significant rise in thermal hotspots, with coverage expanding by 2% to 9% annually in several coastal districts. Districts such as India — Khordha, India — Ganjam, India — Cuttack district, India — Sundergarh, India — Sambalpur, India — Angul, and India — Jharsuguda recorded the highest concentrations over built-up areas. Interior and hilly districts including India — Balangir, India — Kalahandi district, India — Rayagada district, India — Gajapati, India — Bargarh, India — Nuapada, India — Nayagarh, and India — Kandhamal district also showed persistent thermal stress due to vegetation loss and forest degradation. India — Rayagada district had 92.09% of its area as persistent hotspots, followed by India — Gajapati (86.16%), India — Nayagarh (76.05%), and India — Balangir (75.02%). The researchers warned of serious implications for public health, energy demand, and environmental sustainability. They recommended region-specific measures such as expanding urban green spaces, heat-resilient infrastructure, restoring mangroves and riverbank vegetation, and integrating satellite data into urban planning.