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"If We Won't Work, What Will We Eat?": Poor Bear Brunt Of Heatwave

As India grapples with an unprecedented heatwave, the vast majority of poor workers, who generally work outdoors, are vulnerable to the scorching temperatures. For construction worker Yogendra Tundre, life at a building site on the outskirts of the New Delhi is hard enough. This year, record high temperatures are making it unbearable. As India grapples with an unprecedented heatwave, the country's vast majority of poor workers, who generally work outdoors, are vulnerable to the scorching temperatures. "There is too much heat and if we won't work, what will we eat? For a few days, we work and then we sit idle for a few days because of tiredness and heat," Mr Tundre said. Temperatures in the New Delhi area have touched 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) this year, often causing Mr Tundre, and his wife Lata, who works at the same construction site, to fall sick. That in turn means they lose income. "Because of heat, sometimes I don't go to work. I take days off... many times, fall sick from dehydration and then require glucose bottles (intravenous fluids)," Lata said while standing outside their house, a temporary shanty with a tin roof. Scientists have linked the early onset of an intense summer to climate change, and say more than a billion people in India and neighbouring Pakistan were in some way at risk from the extreme heat. India suffered its hottest March in more than 100 years and parts of the country experienced their highest temperatures on record in April. Many places, including New Delhi, saw the temperature gauge top 40 degrees Celsius. More than two dozen people have died of suspected heat strokes since late March, and power demand has hit multi-year highs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on state governments to draw up measures to mitigate the impact of the extreme heat. Mr Tundre and Lata live with their two young children in a slum near the construction site in Noida. They moved from their home state of Chhattisgarh to seek work and higher wages around the capital. On the construction site, labourers scale up walls, lay concrete and carry heavy loads, using ragged scarves around their heads as protection against the sun. Even when the couple finish their day's work, they have little respite as their home is hot, having absorbed the heat of the sun all day long. Avikal Somvanshi, an urban environment researcher from Centre for Science and Environment, said government data showed that heat stress was the most-common cause of death, after lightning, from forces of nature in the last twenty years. "Most of these deaths occur in men aged 30-45. These are working class, blue-collar men who have no option but to be working in the scorching heat," Mr Somvanshi said.

"If We Won't Work, What Will We Eat?": Poor Bear Brunt Of Heatwave

As India grapples with an unprecedented heatwave, the vast majority of poor workers, who generally work outdoors, are vulnerable to the scorching temperatures For construction worker Yogendra Tundre, life at a building site on the outskirts of the New Delhi is hard enough. This year, record high temperatures are making it unbearable. As India grapples with an unprecedented heatwave, the country's vast majority of poor workers, who generally work outdoors, are vulnerable to the scorching temperatures. "There is too much heat and if we won't work, what will we eat? For a few days, we work and then we sit idle for a few days because of tiredness and heat," Tundre said. Temperatures in the New Delhi area have touched 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) this year, often causing Tundre, and his wife Lata, who works at the same construction site, to fall sick. That in turn means they lose income. "Because of heat, sometimes I don't go to work. I take days off... many times, fall sick from dehydration and then require glucose bottles (intravenous fluids)," Lata said while standing outside their house, a temporary shanty with a tin roof. Scientists have linked the early onset of an intense summer to climate change, and say more than a billion people in India and neighbouring Pakistan were in some way at risk from the extreme heat. India suffered its hottest March in more than 100 years and parts of the country experienced their highest temperatures on record in April. Many places, including New Delhi, saw the temperature gauge top 40 degrees Celsius. More than two dozen people have died of suspected heat strokes since late March, and power demand has hit multi-year highs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on state governments to draw up measures to mitigate the impact of the extreme heat. Tundre and Lata live with their two young children in a slum near the construction site in Noida. They moved from their home state of Chhattisgarh to seek work and higher wages around the capital. On the construction site, labourers scale up walls, lay concrete and carry heavy loads, using ragged scarves around their heads as protection against the sun. Even when the couple finish their day's work, they have little respite as their home is hot, having absorbed the heat of the sun all day long. Avikal Somvanshi, an urban environment researcher from Centre for Science and Environment, said government data showed that heat stress was the most-common cause of death, after lightning, from forces of nature in the last twenty years. "Most of these deaths occur in men aged 30-45. These are working class, blue-collar men who have no option but to be working in the scorching heat," Somvanshi said. There are no laws in India that prevent outdoor activity when temperatures breach a certain level, unlike in some Middle-Eastern countries, Somvanshi said.

Delhi Simmered At 49 Degrees On Sunday. Will There Be A Respite?

On Sunday, mercury soared the 49 degrees-mark in Najafgarh and Mungeshpur. Similarly, Gurgaon logged a high of 48 degrees, highest since 1966. Delhi, including other parts of north India, is reeling under intense heatwave for the past few days. The temperatures in some parts of the national capital soared to 49 degree Celsius on Sunday, nine degrees above normal and recorded as the hottest day of the season so far. On Sunday, mercury soared to the 49 degrees-mark in Najafgarh and Mungeshpur. Similarly, Gurgaon logged at a high of 48 degrees, highest since 1966. While temperatures soared through the weekend, heat wave conditions are likely to ebb from today, according to the IMD. "Heat wave conditions likely to continue over Northwest & Central India today and decrease in intensity & distribution from tomorrow," IMD said in a tweet on Sunday. From May 17, there is no heatwave predicted, while thunderstorms over some places are expected to bring respite. "There will be good cloud cover in North Rajasthan, Punjab & Haryana" RK Jenamani, senior scientist, at IMD has said. Why is Delhi witnessing repeated heatwaves? Scanty rainfall is being attributed to five heatwaves that Delhi recorded since March this year. In April, Delhi recorded an mean temperature of 40.2 degrees, making it the second hottest April since 1951. "We have seen western disturbances in March, April and May, but none strong enough to bring substantial rainfall. Most either led to cloudy skies or stronger winds, which can push the maximum temperature by a degree or two, but cannot provide relief," RK Jenamani, scientist at IMD (India Meteorological Department), was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times. In April and May, Delhi witnessed only two days of rain, one on April 21 (0.3mm) and May 4 (1.44mm). Other parts of north India that are reeling under scorching heat include Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and Bihar. Are heatwaves common in India? The Indian plains are known for hot and dry summers, accompanied with incidents of heatwaves as well. However, this year, the heatwaves, which are expected during May and June, set in early. First heatwave was recorded on March 11. According to Down To Earth, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are some of the states to be hit hard by the heatwave. By April 24, these two states had 25 heatwave and severe heatwave days. What is a heatwave? According to experts, when the temperature in plains crosses 40 degree Celsius, 37 degrees in coastal areas, 30 degrees in mountains, it is called a heatwave. "The IMD declares a heat wave when a place registers a temperature that is 4.5 to 6.4 degree Celsius more than the normal temperature for the region on that day. If the temperature is over 6.4 degrees more than the normal, the IMD declares a 'severe' heat wave," the Centre for Science and Environment said in a report. Heatwave in other countries Like India, neighbouring Pakistan too is reeling under heatwave, since the two countries share geographic similarities. More than a billion people in the densely populated region are facing temperatures above 40 degrees. Power outages triggered by coal shortage and immense pressure on the supply lines has only added to the woes of the people. Crop failures are hinting that the worst is yet to come. The hottest April on record is bound to impact the crops, impacting food security as well as livelihood. Is there a respite? According to a report in The Conversation, more intense heatwaves are on the anvil for India. "Assuming the statistical distribution of daily maximum temperatures is broadly the same across the world, statistically a record-breaking heatwave is likely to occur in India at some point. The region has not yet had reason to adapt to such temperatures, so may be particularly vulnerable," the report said.

A day in the life of a construction worker amid India's heatwave

As the sun rose over another day on the outskirts of the Indian capital of New Delhi, construction worker Yogendra Tundre squatted beside a tap for a shower before heading to work. Life at a building site is laborious and hard enough, but 29-year-old Tundre now has to contend with an unprecedented heatwave and record high temperatures. "There is too much heat and if we don't work, what will we eat? For a few days, we work and then we sit idle for a few days because of tiredness and heat," Tundre said. Temperatures in New Delhi have touched 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) this year, often causing Tundre, and his wife Lata, who works at the same construction site, to fall sick. That in turn means they lose income. "Because of the heat, sometimes I don't go to work. I take days off. Many times I fall sick from dehydration and then require glucose bottles [intravenous fluids],” Lata said while standing outside their house, a temporary shanty with a tin roof. Scientists have linked the early onset of an intense summer to climate change, and say more than a billion people in India and neighbouring Pakistan were in some way at risk from the extreme heat. India suffered its hottest March in more than 100 years. April saw many places, including New Delhi, record unusually high temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius on most days. More than two dozen people have died of suspected heat stroke since late March, and power demand has hit multi-year highs. Tundre and Lata live with their two young children near the construction site in Noida, a satellite city of New Delhi. They moved from their home state of Chhattisgarh in central India to seek work and higher wages in Delhi, leaving their eldest son in the care of his maternal grandparents. On the construction site, labourers of both genders carry heavy loads, scale-up walls and lay concrete. "All of us are working under the scorching sun in such heat. One will fall ill and then has to run for the doctor, and the doctors will charge 500 rupees [about THB200] when they could have done with just 200 rupees," said Sikandar Miyan, a construction worker using a ragged scarf around his head as protection against the sun. Avikal Somvanshi, an urban environment researcher from India's Centre for Science and Environment, said government data showed that heat stress was the most common cause of death, after lightning, from forces of nature in the last 20 years. There are no laws in India that prevent outdoor activity when temperatures reach a certain level, unlike in some Middle Eastern countries, Somvanshi added. Even when Tundre and Lata finish their day's work, they have a little respite from the heat, as their home has absorbed heat all day long. "It is very hot here. How can one live peacefully?" questioned Tundre, after a simple dinner prepared by Lata over an earthen oven. "There is no resting here," he added wistfully, beneath a half-moon in the sky.

Poor workers bear the brunt of India's heatwave

NOIDA, India (Reuters) -For construction worker Yogendra Tundre, life at a building site on the outskirts of the Indian capital New Delhi is hard enough. This year, record high temperatures are making it unbearable. As India grapples with an unprecedented heatwave, the country’s vast majority of poor workers, who generally work outdoors, are vulnerable to the scorching temperatures. “There is too much heat and if we won’t work, what will we eat? For a few days, we work and then we sit idle for a few days because of tiredness and heat,” Tundre said. High temperatures in the New Delhi area, which soared above 120 Fahrenheit (49 Celsius) in some regions on Sunday, have often caused Tundre, and his wife Lata, who works at the same construction site, to fall sick. That in turn means they lose income. “Because of heat, sometimes I don’t go to work. I take days off ... many times, fall sick from dehydration and then require glucose bottles (intravenous fluids),” Lata said while standing outside their house, a temporary shanty with a tin roof. Scientists have linked the early onset of an intense summer to climate change, and say more than a billion people in India and neighbouring Pakistan are in some way at risk from the extreme heat. India suffered its hottest March in more than 100 years and parts of the country experienced their highest temperatures on record in April. Many places, including New Delhi, saw the temperature gauge top 40 Celsius. More than two dozen people have died of suspected heat strokes since late March, and power demand has hit multi-year highs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on state governments to draw up measures to mitigate the impact of the extreme heat. Temperatures in and around New Delhi are likely to be lower over the next three days, but the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a heatwave again on Friday. Tundre and Lata live with their two young children in a slum near the construction site in Noida, a satellite city of New Delhi. They moved from their home state of Chhattisgarh in central India to seek work and higher wages around the capital. On the construction site, labourers scale up walls, lay concrete and carry heavy loads, using ragged scarves around their heads as protection against the sun. But even when the couple finish their day’s work, they have little respite as their home is hot, having absorbed the heat of the sun all day long. Avikal Somvanshi, an urban environment researcher from India’s Centre for Science and Environment, said federal government data showed that heat stress was the most-common cause of death, after lightning, from forces of nature in the last 20 years. “Most of these deaths occur in men aged 30-45. These are working class, blue-collar men who have no option but to be working in the scorching heat,” Somvanshi said. There are no laws in India that prevent outdoor activity when temperatures breach a certain level, unlike in some Middle Eastern countries, Somvanshi said.

‘No option’: Poor workers struggle amid India’s brutal heatwave

A vast majority of daily wage workers, who generally work outdoors, are vulnerable to the scorching temperatures. For construction worker Yogendra Tundre, life at a building site in Noida, a satellite city of the Indian capital New Delhi is hard enough. This year, record high temperatures are making it unbearable. As India grapples with an unprecedented heatwave, the country’s vast majority of poor workers, who generally work outdoors, are vulnerable to the scorching temperatures. “There is too much heat and if we won’t work, what will we eat? For a few days, we work and then we sit idle for a few days because of tiredness and heat,” Tundre said. Temperatures in the New Delhi area have touched 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) this year, often causing Tundre, and his wife Lata, who works at the same construction site, to fall sick. That in turn means they lose income. The relentless heatwave is likely to result in some parts of New Delhi experiencing temperatures north of 120 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). “Because of heat, sometimes I don’t go to work. I take days off… many times, fall sick from dehydration and then require glucose bottles (intravenous fluids),” Lata said while standing outside their house, a temporary shanty with a tin roof. Scientists have linked the early onset of an intense summer to climate change, and say more than a billion people in India and neighbouring Pakistan are in some way at risk from the extreme heat. India suffered its hottest March in more than 100 years and parts of the country experienced their highest temperatures on record in April. Many places, including New Delhi, saw the temperature gauge climb past 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). More than two dozen people have died of suspected heat strokes since late March, and power demand has hit multi-year highs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on state governments to draw up measures to mitigate the impact of the extreme heat. India workers and heatwave Labourers work at a construction site on a hot summer day in Noida, India [Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters] Tundre and Lata live with their two young children in a slum near the construction site in Noida. They moved from their home state of Chhattisgarh in central India to seek work and higher wages around the capital. Sign up here to get weekly updates about our Top Stories Please check your email to confirm your subscription By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy On the construction site, labourers scale the walls, lay concrete and carry heavy loads, with only ragged scarves around their heads as protection against the sun. But even when the couple finishes their day’s work, they have little respite as they return to their hot home, which has absorbed the heat of the sun all day long. Video Duration 02 minutes 03 seconds 02:03 Record-breaking heatwave grips India Avikal Somvanshi, an urban environment researcher from India’s Centre for Science and Environment, said federal government data showed that heat stress was the most common cause of death, after lightning, from forces of nature in the last 20 years. “Most of these deaths occur in men aged 30 to 45. These are working-class, blue-collar men who have no option but to be working in the scorching heat,” Somvanshi said. There are no laws in India that prevent outdoor activity when temperatures surpass a certain level, unlike in some Middle-Eastern countries, Somvanshi said.

Poor workers bear the brunt of India's heatwave

For construction worker Yogendra Tundre, life at a building site on the outskirts of the Indian capital New Delhi is hard enough. This year, record high temperatures are making it unbearable. As India grapples with an unprecedented heatwave, the country's vast majority of poor workers, who generally work outdoors, are vulnerable to the scorching temperatures. "There is too much heat and if we won't work, what will we eat? For a few days, we work and then we sit idle for a few days because of tiredness and heat," Tundre said. Temperatures in the New Delhi area have touched 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) this year, often causing Tundre, and his wife Lata, who works at the same construction site, to fall sick. That in turn means they lose income. The relentless heatwave is likely to result in some parts of Delhi experiencing temperatures north of 120 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). "Because of heat, sometimes I don't go to work. I take days off ... many times, fall sick from dehydration and then require glucose bottles (intravenous fluids)," Lata said while standing outside their house, a temporary shanty with a tin roof. Scientists have linked the early onset of an intense summer to climate change, and say more than a billion people in India and neighbouring Pakistan are in some way at risk from the extreme heat. India suffered its hottest March in more than 100 years and parts of the country experienced their highest temperatures on record in April. Many places, including New Delhi, saw the temperature gauge top 40 degrees Celsius. More than two dozen people have died of suspected heat strokes since late March, and power demand has hit multi-year highs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on state governments to draw up measures to mitigate the impact of the extreme heat. Read full storyRead full story Tundre and Lata live with their two young children in a slum near the construction site in Noida, a satellite city of New Delhi. They moved from their home state of Chhattisgarh in central India to seek work and higher wages around the capital. On the construction site, labourers scale up walls, lay concrete and carry heavy loads, using ragged scarves around their heads as protection against the sun. But even when the couple finish their day's work, they have little respite as their home is hot, having absorbed the heat of the sun all day long. Avikal Somvanshi, an urban environment researcher from India's Centre for Science and Environment, said federal government data showed that heat stress was the most-common cause of death, after lightning, from forces of nature in the last 20 years. "Most of these deaths occur in men aged 30-45. These are working class, blue-collar men who have no option but to be working in the scorching heat," Somvanshi said. There are no laws in India that prevent outdoor activity when temperatures breach a certain level, unlike in some Middle-Eastern countries, Somvanshi said.

Poor workers bear brunt of India’s heatwave

NOIDA: For construction worker Yogendra Tundre, life at a building site on the outskirts of the Indian capital New Delhi is hard enough. This year, record high temperatures are making it unbearable. ADVERTISEMENT As India grapples with an unprecedented heatwave, the country’s vast majority of poor workers, who generally work outdoors, are vulnerable to the scorching temperatures. “There is too much heat and if we won’t work, what will we eat? For a few days, we work and then we sit idle for a few days because of tiredness and heat,” Tundre said. Temperatures in the New Delhi area have touched 45°C this year, often causing Tundre, and his wife Lata, who works at the same construction site, to fall sick. That in turn means they lose income. “Because of heat, sometimes I don’t go to work. I take days off ... many times, fall sick from dehydration and then require glucose bottles (intravenous fluids),” Lata said while standing outside their house, a temporary shanty with a tin roof. Scientists have linked the early onset of an intense summer to climate change, and say more than a billion people in India and neighbouring Pakistan were in some way at risk from the extreme heat. India suffered its hottest March in more than 100 years and parts of the country experienced their highest temperatures on record in April. Many places, including New Delhi, saw the temperature gauge top 40°C. More than two dozen people have died of suspected heat strokes since late March, and power demand has hit multi-year highs. ADVERTISEMENT Prime minister Narendra Modi has called on state governments to draw up measures to mitigate the impact of the extreme heat. Tundre and Lata live with their two young children in a slum near the construction site in Noida, a satellite city of New Delhi. They moved from their home state of Chhattisgarh in central India to seek work and higher wages around the capital. On the construction site, labourers scale up walls, lay concrete and carry heavy loads, using ragged scarves around their heads as protection against the sun. But even when the couple finish their day’s work, they have little respite as their home is hot, having absorbed the heat of the sun all day long. Avikal Somvanshi, an urban environment researcher from India’s Centre for Science and Environment, said federal government data showed that heat stress was the most-common cause of death, after lightning, from forces of nature in the last twenty years. “Most of these deaths occur in men aged 30 to 45. These are working class, blue-collar men who have no option but to be working in the scorching heat,” Somvanshi said. There are no laws in India that prevent outdoor activity when temperatures breach a certain level, unlike in some Middle-Eastern countries, Somvanshi said. - Reuters

Poor workers bear the brunt of India's heatwave

As India grapples with an unprecedented heatwave, the country's vast majority of poor workers, who generally work outdoors, are vulnerable to the scorching temperatures. "There is too much heat and if we won't work, what will we eat? For a few days, we work and then we sit idle for a few days because of tiredness and heat," Tundre said. Temperatures in the New Delhi area have touched 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) this year, often causing Tundre, and his wife Lata, who works at the same construction site, to fall sick. That in turn means they lose income. "Because of heat, sometimes I don't go to work. I take days off... many times, fall sick from dehydration and then require glucose bottles (intravenous fluids)," Lata said while standing outside their house, a temporary shanty with a tin roof. Scientists have linked the early onset of an intense summer to climate change, and say more than a billion people in India and neighbouring Pakistan were in some way at risk from the extreme heat. India suffered its hottest March in more than 100 years and parts of the country experienced their highest temperatures on record in April. Many places, including New Delhi, saw the temperature gauge top 40 degrees Celsius. More than two dozen people have died of suspected heat strokes since late March, and power demand has hit multi-year highs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on state governments to draw up measures to mitigate the impact of the extreme heat. Tundre and Lata live with their two young children in a slum near the construction site in Noida, a satellite city of New Delhi. They moved from their home state of Chhattisgarh in central India to seek work and higher wages around the capital. On the construction site, labourers scale up walls, lay concrete and carry heavy loads, using ragged scarves around their heads as protection against the sun. But even when the couple finish their day's work, they have little respite as their home is hot, having absorbed the heat of the sun all day long. Avikal Somvanshi, an urban environment researcher from India's Centre for Science and Environment, said federal government data showed that heat stress was the most-common cause of death, after lightning, from forces of nature in the last twenty years. "Most of these deaths occur in men aged 30-45. These are working class, blue-collar men who have no option but to be working in the scorching heat," Somvanshi said. There are no laws in India that prevent outdoor activity when temperatures breach a certain level, unlike in some Middle-Eastern countries, Somvanshi said.

Poor workers bear the brunt of India’s heatwave

More than two dozen people have died of suspected heat strokes since late March, and power demand has hit multi-year highs Federal government data showed that heat stress was the most-common cause of death, after lightning, from forces of nature in the last twenty years “Most of these deaths occur in men aged 30-45. These are working class, blue-collar men who have no option but to be working in the scorching heat,” Avikal Somvanshi, an urban environment researcher from India’s Centre for Science and Environment, said For construction worker Yogendra Tundre, life at a building site on the outskirts of the Indian capital New Delhi is hard enough. This year, record high temperatures are making it unbearable. As India grapples with an unprecedented heatwave, the country’s vast majority of poor workers, who generally work outdoors, are vulnerable to the scorching temperatures. “There is too much heat and if we won’t work, what will we eat? For a few days, we work and then we sit idle for a few days because of tiredness and heat,” Tundre said. Temperatures in the New Delhi area have touched 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) this year, often causing Tundre, and his wife Lata, who works at the same construction site, to fall sick. That in turn means they lose income. “Because of heat, sometimes I don’t go to work. I take days off… many times, fall sick from dehydration and then require glucose bottles (intravenous fluids),” Lata said while standing outside their house, a temporary shanty with a tin roof. Scientists have linked the early onset of an intense summer to climate change, and say more than a billion people in India and neighbouring Pakistan were in some way at risk from the extreme heat. India suffered its hottest March in more than 100 years and parts of the country experienced their highest temperatures on record in April. Many places, including New Delhi, saw the temperature gauge top 40 degrees Celsius. More than two dozen people have died of suspected heat strokes since late March, and power demand has hit multi-year highs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on state governments to draw up measures to mitigate the impact of the extreme heat. Tundre and Lata live with their two young children in a slum near the construction site in Noida, a satellite city of New Delhi. They moved from their home state of Chhattisgarh in central India to seek work and higher wages around the capital. On the construction site, labourers scale up walls, lay concrete and carry heavy loads, using ragged scarves around their heads as protection against the sun. But even when the couple finish their day’s work, they have little respite as their home is hot, having absorbed the heat of the sun all day long. Avikal Somvanshi, an urban environment researcher from India’s Centre for Science and Environment, said federal government data showed that heat stress was the most-common cause of death, after lightning, from forces of nature in the last twenty years. “Most of these deaths occur in men aged 30-45. These are working class, blue-collar men who have no option but to be working in the scorching heat,” Somvanshi said. There are no laws in India that prevent outdoor activity when temperatures breach a certain level, unlike in some Middle-Eastern countries, Somvanshi said.

Poor workers bear the brunt of India's heatwave

For a few days, we work and then we sit idle for a few days because of tiredness and heat," Tundre said. Temperatures in the New Delhi area have touched 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) this year, often causing Tundre, and his wife Lata, who works at the same construction site, to fall sick. For construction worker Yogendra Tundre, life at a building site on the outskirts of the Indian capital New Delhi is hard enough. This year, record high temperatures are making it unbearable. As India grapples with an unprecedented heatwave, the country's vast majority of poor workers, who generally work outdoors, are vulnerable to the scorching temperatures. "There is too much heat and if we won't work, what will we eat? For a few days, we work and then we sit idle for a few days because of tiredness and heat," Tundre said. Temperatures in the New Delhi area have touched 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) this year, often causing Tundre, and his wife Lata, who works at the same construction site, to fall sick. That in turn means they lose income. "Because of heat, sometimes I don't go to work. I take days off... many times, fall sick from dehydration and then require glucose bottles (intravenous fluids)," Lata said while standing outside their house, a temporary shanty with a tin roof. Scientists have linked the early onset of an intense summer to climate change, and say more than a billion people in India and neighbouring Pakistan were in some way at risk from the extreme heat. India suffered its hottest March in more than 100 years and parts of the country experienced their highest temperatures on record in April. Many places, including New Delhi, saw the temperature gauge top 40 degrees Celsius. More than two dozen people have died of suspected heat strokes since late March, and power demand has hit multi-year highs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on state governments to draw up measures to mitigate the impact of the extreme heat. Tundre and Lata live with their two young children in a slum near the construction site in Noida, a satellite city of New Delhi. They moved from their home state of Chhattisgarh in central India to seek work and higher wages around the capital. On the construction site, labourers scale up walls, lay concrete and carry heavy loads, using ragged scarves around their heads as protection against the sun. But even when the couple finish their day's work, they have little respite as their home is hot, having absorbed the heat of the sun all day long. Avikal Somvanshi, an urban environment researcher from India's Centre for Science and Environment, said federal government data showed that heat stress was the most-common cause of death, after lightning, from forces of nature in the last twenty years. "Most of these deaths occur in men aged 30-45. These are working class, blue-collar men who have no option but to be working in the scorching heat," Somvanshi said. There are no laws in India that prevent outdoor activity when temperatures breach a certain level, unlike in some Middle-Eastern countries, Somvanshi said.

Poor workers bear the brunt of India's heatwave

NOIDA, India - For construction worker Yogendra Tundre, life at a building site on the outskirts of the Indian capital New Delhi is hard enough. This year, record high temperatures are making it unbearable. As India grapples with an unprecedented heatwave, the country's vast majority of poor workers, who generally work outdoors, are vulnerable to the scorching temperatures. "There is too much heat and if we won't work, what will we eat? For a few days, we work and then we sit idle for a few days because of tiredness and heat," Tundre said. Scientists have linked the early onset of an intense summer to climate change, and say more than a billion people in India and neighboring Pakistan were in some way at risk from the extreme heat Temperatures in the New Delhi area have touched 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) this year, often causing Tundre, and his wife Lata, who works at the same construction site, to fall sick. That in turn means they lose income. ALSO READ: India bans wheat exports as heatwave hurts crop "Because of heat, sometimes I don't go to work. I take days off... many times, fall sick from dehydration and then require glucose bottles (intravenous fluids)," Lata said while standing outside their house, a temporary shanty with a tin roof. Scientists have linked the early onset of an intense summer to climate change, and say more than a billion people in India and neighboring Pakistan were in some way at risk from the extreme heat. India suffered its hottest March in more than 100 years and parts of the country experienced their highest temperatures on record in April. Many places, including New Delhi, saw the temperature gauge top 40 degrees Celsius. More than two dozen people have died of suspected heat strokes since late March, and power demand has hit multi-year highs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on state governments to draw up measures to mitigate the impact of the extreme heat. ALSO READ: India: Temperatures break records as heat wave scorches region Tundre and Lata live with their two young children in a slum near the construction site in Noida, a satellite city of New Delhi. They moved from their home state of Chhattisgarh in central India to seek work and higher wages around the capital. On the construction site, laborers scale up walls, lay concrete and carry heavy loads, using ragged scarves around their heads as protection against the sun. But even when the couple finish their day's work, they have little respite as their home is hot, having absorbed the heat of the sun all day long. Avikal Somvanshi, an urban environment researcher from India's Centre for Science and Environment, said federal government data showed that heat stress was the most-common cause of death, after lightning, from forces of nature in the last twenty years. READ MORE: Indian heat wave disrupts industries as power demand soars "Most of these deaths occur in men aged 30-45. These are working class, blue-collar men who have no option but to be working in the scorching heat," Somvanshi said. There are no laws in India that prevent outdoor activity when temperatures breach a certain level, unlike in some Middle-Eastern countries, Somvanshi said.

Poor workers bear the brunt of India's heatwave

As India grapples with an unprecedented heatwave, the country's vast majority of poor workers, who generally work outdoors, are vulnerable to the scorching temperatures. For construction worker Yogendra Tundre, life at a building site on the outskirts of theIndian capital New Delhi is hard enough. This year, record high temperatures are making it unbearable. VDO.AI As India grapples with an unprecedented heatwave, the country's vast majority of poor workers, who generally work outdoors, are vulnerable to the scorching temperatures. "There is too much heat and if we won't work, what will we eat? For a few days, we work and then we sit idle for a few days because of tiredness and heat," Tundre said. Temperatures in the New Delhi area have touched 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) this year, often causing Tundre, and his wife Lata, who works at the same construction site, to fall sick. That in turn means they lose income. The relentless heatwave is likely to result in some parts of Delhi experiencing temperatures north of 120 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). "Because of heat, sometimes I don't go to work. I take days off ... many times, fall sick from dehydration and then require glucose bottles (intravenous fluids)," Lata said while standing outside their house, a temporary shanty with a tin roof. Scientists have linked the early onset of an intense summer to climate change, and say more than a billion people in India and neighbouring Pakistan are in some way at risk from the extreme heat. India suffered its hottest March in more than 100 years and parts of the country experienced their highest temperatures on record in April. Many places, including New Delhi, saw the temperature gauge top 40 degrees Celsius. More than two dozen people have died of suspected heat strokes since late March, and power demand has hit multi-year highs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on state governments to draw up measures to mitigate the impact of the extreme heat. Tundre and Lata live with their two young children in a slum near the construction site in Noida, a satellite city of New Delhi. They moved from their home state of Chhattisgarh in central India to seek work and higher wages around the capital. On the construction site, labourers scale up walls, lay concrete and carry heavy loads, using ragged scarves around their heads as protection against the sun. But even when the couple finish their day's work, they have little respite as their home is hot, having absorbed the heat of the sun all day long. Avikal Somvanshi, an urban environment researcher from India's Centre for Science and Environment, said federal government data showed that heat stress was the most-common cause of death, after lightning, from forces of nature in the last 20 years. "Most of these deaths occur in men aged 30-45. These are working class, blue-collar men who have no option but to be working in the scorching heat," Somvanshi said. There are no laws in India that prevent outdoor activity when temperatures breach a certain level, unlike in some Middle-Eastern countries, Somvanshi said.

Poor workers bear the brunt of India's heatwave

PM Narendra Modi has called on state governments to draw up measures to mitigate the impact of the extreme heat NOIDA: For construction worker Yogendra Tundre, life at a building site on the outskirts of the Indian capital New Delhi is hard enough. This year, record high temperatures are making it unbearable. As India grapples with an unprecedented heatwave, the country's vast majority of poor workers, who generally work outdoors, are vulnerable to the scorching temperatures. "There is too much heat and if we won't work, what will we eat? For a few days, we work and then we sit idle for a few days because of tiredness and heat," Tundre said. Temperatures in the New Delhi area have touched 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) this year, often causing Tundre, and his wife Lata, who works at the same construction site, to fall sick. That in turn means they lose income. "Because of heat, sometimes I don't go to work. I take days off... many times, fall sick from dehydration and then require glucose bottles (intravenous fluids)," Lata said while standing outside their house, a temporary shanty with a tin roof. Scientists have linked the early onset of an intense summer to climate change, and say more than a billion people in India and neighbouring Pakistan were in some way at risk from the extreme heat. India suffered its hottest March in more than 100 years and parts of the country experienced their highest temperatures on record in April. Many places, including New Delhi, saw the temperature gauge top 40 degrees Celsius. More than two dozen people have died of suspected heat strokes since late March, and power demand has hit multi-year highs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on state governments to draw up measures to mitigate the impact of the extreme heat. Tundre and Lata live with their two young children in a slum near the construction site in Noida, a satellite city of New Delhi. They moved from their home state of Chhattisgarh in central India to seek work and higher wages around the capital. On the construction site, labourers scale up walls, lay concrete and carry heavy loads, using ragged scarves around their heads as protection against the sun. But even when the couple finish their day's work, they have little respite as their home is hot, having absorbed the heat of the sun all day long. Avikal Somvanshi, an urban environment researcher from India's Centre for Science and Environment, said federal government data showed that heat stress was the most-common cause of death, after lightning, from forces of nature in the last twenty years. "Most of these deaths occur in men aged 30-45. These are working class, blue-collar men who have no option but to be working in the scorching heat," Somvanshi said. There are no laws in India that prevent outdoor activity when temperatures breach a certain level, unlike in some Middle-Eastern countries, Somvanshi said.

Unbearable to the heat, poor workers in India

A man drinks water from a bottle on a hot summer day in Allahabad on April 30, 2022. SANJAY KANOJIA AFP NOIDA, India -- For Yogendra Tundre, life at a building site on the outskirts of the Indian capital New Delhi is hard enough. This year, record high temperatures are making it unbearable. The country's vast majority of poor workers, who generally work outdoors, are vulnerable to the scorching temperatures as India struggles with an unprecedented heat wave. There is too much heat and if we don't work, what will we eat? Tundre said that we work for a few days and then sit idle for a few days because of tiredness and heat. The temperatures in the New Delhi area have touched 45 degrees Celsius 113 Fahrenheit this year, which often causes Tundre, and his wife Lata, who works at the same construction site to fall sick. Sometimes I don't go to work because of the heat. Many times, they fall sick from dehydration and then require intravenous fluids, Lata said, while standing outside their house, a temporary shanty with a tin roof. Scientists say that more than a billion people in India and neighboring Pakistan are at risk from the extreme heat and that the early onset of an intense summer is linked to climate change. India suffered its hottest March in more than 100 years and parts of the country experienced its highest temperatures on record in April. New Delhi saw the temperature gauge above 40 degrees Celsius. Since March, more than two dozen people have died of suspected heat strokes, and power demand has hit multi-year highs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for measures to be drawn up by state governments to mitigate the effects of the extreme heat. Tundre and Lata live in a slum near the construction site in Noida, a satellite city of New Delhi, with their two young children. They moved from their home state of Chhattisgarh in central India to seek work and higher wages around the capital. On the construction site, laborers scale up walls, lay concrete and carry heavy loads, using ragged scarves around their heads as protection against the sun. Even when the couple is busy with their day's work, they have little respite as their home is hot, having absorbed the heat of the sun all day long. Avikal Somvanshi, an urban environment researcher from India's Centre for Science and Environment, said that heat stress was the most common cause of death after lightning, from forces of nature in the last twenty years. Most of the deaths occur in men aged 30 -- 45. These are working class, blue-collar men who have no choice but to be working in the scorching heat, Somvanshi said. In India, there are no laws that prevent outdoor activity when temperatures breach a certain level, unlike in some Middle-Eastern countries, according to Somvanshi.

Poor workers bear the brunt of India's heatwave

For construction worker Yogendra Tundre, life at a building site on the outskirts of the Indian capital New Delhi is hard enough. This year, record high temperatures are making it unbearable. As India grapples with an unprecedented heatwave, the country's vast majority of poor workers, who generally work outdoors, are vulnerable to the scorching temperatures, reports Reuters. "There is too much heat and if we won't work, what will we eat? For a few days, we work and then we sit idle for a few days because of tiredness and heat," Tundre said. Temperatures in the New Delhi area have touched 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) this year, often causing Tundre, and his wife Lata, who works at the same construction site, to fall sick. That in turn means they lose income. "Because of heat, sometimes I don't go to work. I take days off... many times, fall sick from dehydration and then require glucose bottles (intravenous fluids)," Lata said while standing outside their house, a temporary shanty with a tin roof. Scientists have linked the early onset of an intense summer to climate change, and say more than a billion people in India and neighbouring Pakistan were in some way at risk from the extreme heat. India suffered its hottest March in more than 100 years and parts of the country experienced their highest temperatures on record in April. Many places, including New Delhi, saw the temperature gauge top 40 degrees Celsius. More than two dozen people have died of suspected heat strokes since late March, and power demand has hit multi-year highs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on state governments to draw up measures to mitigate the impact of the extreme heat. Tundre and Lata live with their two young children in a slum near the construction site in Noida, a satellite city of New Delhi. They moved from their home state of Chhattisgarh in central India to seek work and higher wages around the capital. On the construction site, labourers scale up walls, lay concrete and carry heavy loads, using ragged scarves around their heads as protection against the sun. But even when the couple finish their day's work, they have little respite as their home is hot, having absorbed the heat of the sun all day long. Avikal Somvanshi, an urban environment researcher from India's Centre for Science and Environment, said federal government data showed that heat stress was the most-common cause of death, after lightning, from forces of nature in the last twenty years. "Most of these deaths occur in men aged 30-45. These are working class, blue-collar men who have no option but to be working in the scorching heat," Somvanshi said. There are no laws in India that prevent outdoor activity when temperatures breach a certain level, unlike in some Middle-Eastern countries, Somvanshi said.