Amid a heatwave in various parts of the country, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday stressed the need for ensuring development without harming the environment.

The Congress general secretary noted that there have been reports of cutting of trees in large numbers in many states.

"On the other hand, heat is causing deaths across the country. Rising temperatures are creating new records. This time, the month of April has been recorded as the hottest April in history," Priyanka Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.

"Development work is necessary, but we need to protect the environment as much as possible. We all have to work together to ensure development that takes us forward without harming our environment," she said.

The punishingly long heatwave has led to a surge in heat stroke casualties in north India, including Delhi, prompting the Centre to issue an advisory to hospitals on Wednesday to set up special units to cater to such patients.

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