India’s scorching heat and lack of water leave Delhi’s poor to suffer worst of climate crisis

There’s no fresh water in the slums of Delhi’s Chanakyapuri neighborhood. It’s 49.9 degrees Celsius, or 121 Fahrenheit – the hottest temperature on record.

There’s no fresh water in the slums of Delhi’s Chanakyapuri neighborhood. It’s 49.9 degrees Celsius, or 121 Fahrenheit – the hottest temperature on record. The sun belts off the tin roofs of the shanties. Desperate people wait for drinking water to be delivered. When it arrives, there’s chaos. Dozens of people run to the truck, some even climbing on top of it to throw pipes in, pushing in to get their containers filled with water. It’s first come first served, and many people miss out. Mother-of-six Poonam Shah is one of those people. “There are 10 people in my family – six kids, me and my husband, my in-laws, relatives come over sometimes – can we all bathe in one bucket of water?” she asks.