Incomes halved, health hit: How heatwave affects street vendors in Delhi

In the last 24 hours, extreme heat has allegedly killed 22 people in Delhi-NCR. The temperature is peaking at over 40 degrees – with the night of June 18 being the hottest in the region in the last 12 years, as per the meteorological department.    

Among the worst-affected by the heatwave are street vendors, guards, auto drivers, and construction workers, who spend hours under the scorching sun for work. Newslaundry went out on the streets to find out how the street hawkers are battling the heat and its economic consequences. 

As per a report by the GreenPeace and the National Horticulture Federation, heatwave has resulted in increased irritability, headache, dehydration, sunburn, fatigue and muscle pain among most of the street vendors.

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