Bhubaneswar: A recent scientific study by IIT Bhubaneswar has revealed that rapid urbanisation and fast land degradation were major factors behind the intensifying surface heat across Odisha.
The study by researchers from the School of Earth, Ocean and Climate Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar, has revealed a significant rise in land surface thermal hotspots across Odisha, highlighting the growing impact of rapid urbanisation and land-use changes on the state’s climate, an official statement issued by the institute said.
The IIT Bhubaneswar stated that the research has been published in the prestigious Environmental Science Advances, a journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry. The study was conducted by Dikshika Mahapatra and Debadatta Swain, and they analysed 20 years of satellite data to understand how thermal hotspots have evolved across all 30 districts of Odisha.
The findings show that rapidly growing urban and industrial areas, particularly Khordha, Ganjam, Cuttack, and Sundargarh, are witnessing a steady increase in extreme surface temperatures, with thermal hotspot coverage expanding by 2 per cent to 9 per cent annually in several coastal districts.
The research also found that rising heat is no longer confined to cities. Several interior and hilly districts, including Balangir, Kalahandi, Rayagada, and Gajapati, are also experiencing persistent thermal stress due to vegetation loss, forest degradation, and increasing stretches of barren land, the institute said.
The researchers note that prolonged exposure to such thermal hotspots can have serious implications for public health, energy demand, and environmental sustainability. The study demonstrates how satellite-based monitoring can help identify vulnerable regions and support evidence-based planning for climate resilience.
To address the challenge, the study recommends region-specific solutions, including expanding urban green spaces, adopting heat-resilient infrastructure, restoring mangroves and riverbank vegetation, and integrating high-resolution satellite data into urban planning and environmental management.
