Informal workers in urban centres across South and Southeast Asia are increasingly finding themselves unable to recover from the intense heat, a situation that is taking a severe toll on their health and livelihoods. Cities in the region are experiencing prolonged periods of high temperatures, creating challenging conditions for those who rely on outdoor or physically demanding work.
In Delhi, for instance, a 24-year-old gig worker named Jalaj Jha describes feeling drained even before his 12-hour grocery delivery shift begins. Awakening in a poorly ventilated room, where a fan merely circulates hot air, he struggles to achieve adequate rest. Jha reports sleeping as little as three or four hours due to the oppressive heat, highlighting a widespread issue faced by many in similar circumstances.
This lack of recovery is not merely an inconvenience; it poses significant health risks. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures combined with strenuous physical activity can lead to heatstroke, dehydration, and other heat-related illnesses. For informal workers, who often lack access to air-conditioned environments, adequate breaks, or comprehensive healthcare, these risks are amplified.
The economic implications are also considerable. Reduced sleep and chronic exhaustion can impair productivity, potentially affecting earnings for workers who are often paid per delivery or task. This creates a vicious cycle where the need to earn money pushes individuals to work in conditions that further deteriorate their health.
The situation underscores a growing humanitarian challenge driven by climate change and urbanisation. As global temperatures continue to rise, and urban heat island effects intensify in densely populated cities, the vulnerability of informal workers to extreme weather events becomes increasingly pronounced.