‘In a hot oven’: India heatwaves take a toll on most vulnerable

Recurring heatwaves in India’s capital New Delhi have taken their toll on construction worker Mamta as she labours and sweats through a gruelling 12-hour work day.

“In the afternoon, the situation is terrible. You feel like you are in a hot oven,” Mamta told Al Jazeera from her work site in Delhi’s Chhatarpur area. “It is very difficult to work in such heat … but my family depends on my earnings.”The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on May 22 issued heatwave warnings for New Delhi, as well as adjoining states Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

Temperatures in certain areas of the capital, which has a population of more than 20 million, recently crossed 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit), making it one of the hottest days of the year.

According to IMD, 2023 saw the warmest February since 1901, with a maximum temperature of 29.5C (85.1F).

The IMD said temperatures will fall as rain showers are expected in areas subsumed by the heatwave and will provide much-needed relief. However, it warned more scorching weather lies ahead in the coming weeks and months.

“India has always been a hot country and extreme heat is a fact of life,” Aditya Pillai of the Centre of Policy Research (CPR) told Al Jazeera.

“But the number of extremely hot days and heatwaves, which are consecutive hot days, have been increasing across the country,” he said, citing climate change and rising temperatures as “big drivers” behind the increase.Digambar Behera, a prominent pulmonologist in India, said common issues related to heatwaves include dehydration, exhaustion, and loss of electrolytes.

“There are other problems like injury to kidneys,” he said. “People who are working outdoors should take measures like enough liquids and electrolytes like glucose, and to avoid direct exposure to sun,” he noted.

Behera said during heatwaves, hospital emergencies related to heatstroke and fatigue increase, particularly among those who endure chronic conditions and are most vulnerable.‘Poor punished’
Mamta, a mother of two, said her troubles are expounded by the fact her husband is unable to work in the heat because of health issues. “I cannot skip work … Working in the heat is like torture … but no matter how hot it gets I have to go out.”

Originally from the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, Mamta said she moved to New Delhi in search of better wages. Currently, she earns $5-6 per day.

Another Delhi resident, Mohammad Salim Khan, who works 13-hour days as a welder, also said he has no choice but to continue toiling in the potentially deadly heat.

“Whether it is hot or cold, I don’t have the option to stay at home,” said the father of three who makes $4-5 daily.