The heatwave gripping Delhi has exposed a deadly inequality, with the city’s poorest workers bearing the brunt of temperatures that have soared past 45 degrees Celsius. British-funded cooling centres, set up in the slums of the capital, are reporting a surge in demand as thousands seek refuge from the unrelenting sun. But for many, help comes too late.
At least a dozen fatalities have been recorded in the past week, all among casual labourers, street vendors, and rickshaw pullers who cannot afford to stop working. The centres, part of a UK aid programme aimed at mitigating extreme heat, are overwhelmed. “We have tripled our capacity, but we still have to turn people away,” said a volunteer at a centre in Seelampur.
The crisis lays bare the stark reality of a warming world: the rich retreat into air-conditioned homes and offices, while the poor have no escape. Trade unions are calling for mandatory heat breaks and compensation for lost wages, but employers argue it would cripple an already fragile economy. As the mercury refuses to drop, the question remains: how many more will die before action is taken?
