Delhi's rickshaw pullers, roadside vendors suffer as heat, pollution take a toll

As we observe World Health Day under the theme "My health, My right", thousands of outdoor workers across the national capital from auto-rickshaw drivers and rickshaw pullers to roadside vendors are grappling with a growing health crisis due to extreme heat and air pollution.

- Agencies

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for the city, forecasting a heatwave to persist until Wednesday. Delhi's maximum temperature settled at 38.2 degrees Celsius, 3.1 degrees above the seasonal average on Sunday. The minimum temperature was 18.5 degrees Celsius, and the Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the 'poor' category at 209.

Highlighting the physical toll of the heatwave, auto-rickshaw driver Santosh Hazra said, "Skin gets burnt during a heatwave; loo also affects health. There's ample availability of free water in Delhi but there's a shortage of shaded areas to rest." Another auto driver, Prashant Kumar (24), complained of feeling drowsy during the hot season.

"I've been working for 8 years now, and summers have always been difficult, as it greatly affects health. We get tired quickly, which limits our working hours. Delhi pollution also impacts us; we can feel it even in summer." However, the scorching heat doesn't only bring physical hardships but also financial distress.