health
Coping with 54C heat: Delhi slum diaries detail living in extreme temperatures
With heatwaves now recognised as disasters, personal testimonies are key to a new project that looks to protect those living in the most cramped districts of India’s capital
TL;DR
- Residents of Sunder Nagri, a slum in north-east Delhi, are creating 'heat diaries' to document their experiences of extreme heatwaves.
- These personal testimonies aim to fill gaps in current heat action plans, which often lack human-centric data.
- The project seeks to inform urban resilience policy and advocate for extreme heat to be recognized as a human rights issue.
- Diaries capture daily routines, work, home conditions, mood, and family impacts related to heat.
- On-the-ground temperature mapping by residents revealed some streets reaching over 54C (129F).
- Experiences include sleeping on wet clothes, skin infections, loss of income due to spoiled produce, and seeking refuge in air-conditioned spaces.
- The diaries have been submitted to India's National Human Rights Commission and will be shared with policymakers.
- The goal is to use testimonies as evidence for lawsuits to increase accountability for climate crisis impacts.
- India's government recently added heatwaves to the list of nationally notified disasters, allowing access to emergency relief funds.
- There is hope that these funds can support local action guided by community participation.