Global Warming & Urban Heat

Face more population, pollution. Now, vehicle pollution is high. There are more vehicles, all the trees have been cut. All the animals have decreased. Because of that, pollution is increasing a bit.

— Installation Visitor

Excessive mountain cutting will cause temperatures to rise significantly the next day. We have a problem.

— RAJNIKANT RATNAKAR · Kharod, Janjgir-Champa, Chhattisgarh

Kolkata city is now one of the hottest cities in the world. As a result, it's impossible to adapt to this heat. A city without trees and without water bodies. Adapting to the heat there is just impossible. One who has money can try to adapt with AC, but AC ultimately makes the city even hotter. So I am not in favor of AC. I am trying to adapt.

— Arani Biswas · Bally, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal

What is the reason for climate change?

— Kachala Choudhary

- Rising temperatures – Heatwaves are longer and hotter, stressing ecosystems and pushing many species toward the brink. 6. Climate‑resilient infrastructure – Build flood barriers, upgrade water management, and plan cities for higher temperatures.

— PRADEEP KUMAR KANHAR · Rourkela, Sundargarh, Odisha

Today, significant changes are being observed in the forests of our region. Forests are being cut down, leading to climate change. Rain is occurring at irregular times. Agriculture is also being affected.

— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand

This is too late for the monsoons to arrive. This is a dangerous trend. If the 65% failure that has been predicted for monsoons becomes a reality, have you thought about the impact on the environment? With so many cities dependent on fresh water, it's going to be a catastrophe. Plus, the government is on rampage cutting environment, cutting trees to build different more buildings and like, you know, factories, etc. Uh, so without trees and everything, how is the system going to work? Plus these global wars, bombs. So just like it's what is what we are doing to the environment is completely unpredictable and the most valuable resources we have of natural climate cycles are being completely disrupted, which is a very dangerous situation we are in. So it all depends on if we get rain this time or not.

— Shram · Panvel, Raigad, Maharashtra

Unlike usual, this summer is very terrible. It wasn't like this even this year. I am 75 years old. But I haven't experienced anything like this. The heat, the heat, the sun is terrible. It's very very very hot. I don't know why it's like this. Because the world is changing. People are changing. Even the general public is changing. Because of that, nature itself is changing. I can't cope. Okay? How do you cope? To cope, I feel like I should bathe in cold water, like I should stay in water. So I bathe three times a day and cope.

— Urvashi Sriraman · Thelliyaragaram, Moulivakkam, Chennai

High temperatures, especially above 36°C, increase the risk of death for the elderly and people with pre-existing conditions. Rising temperatures prolong the lifespan of mosquitoes that transmit dengue and malaria, increasing disease transmission. High humidity reduces the body's ability to dissipate heat, increasing health risks. In this situation, innovative, stable, and future-oriented strategies capable of addressing climate change are extremely necessary to help keep society safe and resilient.

— Surukuni Chapeyar

For us, the biggest problem this year was more about power cuts than the heat. When the temperature rose very high, often there was no electricity for hours. Fans, coolers, everything would stop, and it became difficult to sit inside the house. Even at night, we couldn't sleep properly, which caused problems in working the next day. To escape the heat, we kept drinking water repeatedly, used wet towels, and stayed in the shade as much as possible. But due to lack of electricity, children, the elderly, and sick people faced the most difficulty. Many times, the water supply was also affected, which further increased the problems. We feel that along with increasing heat, it is very important for the electricity system to be strengthened. If there is continuous electricity, people can get relief from the heat and daily life can become a bit easier.

— Kumari Ankita · Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh

This time, the heat has broken all old records. There's a lot of hot wind blowing here and the sun is so intense that it's become difficult to leave the house. My experience has been exhausting. Working in the heat and going out somewhere is very difficult, and in the summer, electricity often goes out due to storms. As soon as the power goes out, half the work stops, and fans don't run. Farms need water, and due to power outages, they don't get it on time. Many diseases occur in summer. People fall ill due to the sun, and because of the intense heat, they can't even go to the hospital. Animals also remain sick and don't eat properly.

— Kumari Ankita · Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh

I spend most of my time at home these days, but even indoors I have felt that this summer was unusually hot. Earlier, mornings and evenings used to be pleasant, but now the heat seems to continue well into the night. At my age, hot weather can be uncomfortable and sometimes affects sleep. I avoid going outside during the afternoon and keep the curtains closed on the side where the sunlight enters directly. I drink plenty of water, tender coconut water when available, and eat lighter meals. This also causes weight loss because sometimes I cannot eat because of the heat, which becomes difficult to manage. Every year the summers seem to become a little harsher. Many elderly people may find it difficult to cope if this trend continues.

— Sanjukta Chanda · Kuthambakkam, Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu

This summer has been really tough in the afternoons. My house gets extremely hot. We often have power cuts which makes it hard to use fans or coolers. I drink buttermilk and coconut water to stay cool. I keep the windows open for air to come in. But in the afternoon the air was also hot. My kids often get headaches and dehydration. Feel tired after playing outside. We try to avoid going out when the sun's, at its peak level. The fact that there are not trees and green spaces around here makes the heat feel even worse. It is uncomfortable for my children to play outside. They get tired very quickly. I have to take care of them.

— Rohan Shinde · Boorakunte, Sarjapura, Bengaluru Urban

Palwinder Singh | 45 yrs I am a Vet, and I have noticed that this year heat has been particularly hard on animals and birds. I have seen many cases of animals suffering health issues because of this. I too feel very uncomfortable while working in so much heat. At home and in car because of Air conditioning it is fine but otherwise the weather is harsh enough to avoid leaving home. I drink as much water as possible to avoid fainting and avoid going in direct sunlight wihout protective cover.

— Harmanjot Kaur · Rajgarh, Barnala, Punjab

This summer is more hot than last summer. It has been very difficult to go out side. There is more chances to get sick due to heat wave. I am traveling now, so I can experience highly uncomfortable hot in train. Train's fans are generating hot air. It is very hard to travel for people in sleeper class , mainly in summer. Also, I am feeling like my health is getting worst.

— Anish Toppo · Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh

Response 1: Kannur is always humid but this year was something else. Even the nights were hot which is unusual here. I'm near the coast so we usually get some breeze but this summer even that wasn't enough. Had to stop my evening walks completely and my blood pressure was acting up because of the heat. Response 2: Our house is near Thavakkara and it felt suffocating this summer. No breeze, high humidity. I borrowed a cooler from my cousin just to sleep at night. Power cuts in the evening made it even worse. I've been drinking tender coconut water almost every day just to cope. Response 3: The KSRTC bus commute to Kannur town in the afternoon is really awful. No ventilation, packed with people. I've started leaving office early just to avoid peak heat. My younger sister had a headache and vomiting last month turned out to be a mild heatstroke. This summer has been genuinely difficult for everyone here

— Shalin Sanish · Kannur, Kerala

Depletion of natural resources, trees are being cut down, ponds are getting filled up, the balance of nature is deteriorating.

— VEER SINGH SIJUI · Seraikela-Kharsawan, Jharkhand

We live in Uttarakhand, but we live in the plain area of Uttarakhand. It's not that cold here. The effect of heat is quite significant, and the house we have is, well, a kachcha (raw/unpaved) house with a tin roof. The tin gets very hot. So, what happens is we have to face a lot of heat, and we don't even have resources. There's one fan, and even that gives very cold air. There's no cooler or AC.

— Anshika Saxena · Kichha, Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand

In today's time, we have seen many significant changes in the forest, such as excessive deforestation, climate change, changing traditions, and people not following customs and rituals.

— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand

climate change affects men and women differently. Women are more vulnerable, you know, they are more dependent on the natural resources, you know, they have a limited access to land, credit and technology.

— Monalisa Malla · Unit-9, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, Khordha

This summer has been quite difficult, especially because I spend a lot of time travelling between college, hospitals, and coaching classes. The heat feels much more intense than previous years. Even short walks in the afternoon can be exhausting. What I've noticed is that many people underestimate the effects of dehydration. In the hospital, we often see patients with dizziness, headaches, or heat-related illnesses. Personally, I carry a water bottle everywhere and try to drink fluids regularly, even when I'm not thirsty. I also avoid going out during peak afternoon hours whenever possible. The heat has definitely made studying and concentrating harder because it can be very draining physically.

— Sanjukta Chanda · Kuthambakkam, Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu

So this time the heat is really too much and unbearable. And where I work, because there is AC, my office time passes well, but when I go out on the streets, the heat really becomes unbearable. When I return home at night, the AC also runs at our house during sleep. So at night, sleep is fine. But for the rest of the time, we have to endure this heat. There is nothing to do.

— Arani Biswas · Bally, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal

Women in rural and tribal areas of Odisha depend entirely on the environment for collecting firewood, drinking water, and forest products (e.g., tendu leaves, mahua). When the environment deteriorates, they have to work harder to get these things.Women are most affected during natural disasters like cyclones, floods, and droughts. Environmental pollution or climate change makes their lifestyle difficult.

— Sonali Behera

In today's era, forests are undergoing many kinds of changes and losses, such as trees being cut, herbs disappearing, animals becoming extinct, people migrating from one place to another, and insects.

— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand

Oh brother, this year the summer has been extremely hot. It used to be difficult to go out of the house during the day. In the afternoon, it felt like fire was raining on the streets. Even the fan often threw hot air, and it became difficult to sit without a cooler or AC. If the power went out, the trouble would increase even more. To protect ourselves from the heat, we drink as much water as possible, and consume things like lemonade, buttermilk, and ORS so that there is no water deficiency in the body. We only go out in the afternoon if it's very necessary, otherwise, we stay indoors. We wear light cotton clothes and try to go out in the sun less often. At night, sitting on the roof or in an open space provides some relief. In our opinion, this year's summer has been hotter than in several past years. It also affected the work of many people, especially those who work outdoors. We hope that the weather will normalize a bit in the coming time and we will get relief from such intense heat.

— Kumari Ankita · Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh

For people like us who work outdoors, this summer has been very challenging. Most of my work involves moving around the apartment complex, checking pumps, cleaning areas, and handling repairs. During the afternoon, the concrete and metal surfaces become extremely hot. By noon, you can feel the heat reflecting from the ground itself. We try to start some of the heavier work earlier in the morning before the sun becomes too strong. I drink a lot of water and buttermilk during the day and take short breaks in shaded areas whenever possible. The heat has definitely increased compared to what I remember from a few years ago.

— Sanjukta Chanda · Kuthambakkam, Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu

Balwinder Kaur | 46 yrs The heat is very harsh this summer. I work as the health supervisor and there is an increase in heat strokes. Many people have started to take ORS as a preventive measure as well. I try to drink as much water as possible to deal with the heat. I also use a cold cloth to cool down sometimes. Other than that AC usage is very high for us. How ever rain sometimes provide respite from the heat.

— Harmanjot Kaur · Rajgarh, Barnala, Punjab

In today's time, many changes are happening in the forests. Trees are being cut, medicinal plants are disappearing, animals are becoming extinct, and migration is happening very rapidly.

— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand

Due to forests being destroyed day by day and the lack of proper rainfall, agriculture is not doing well.

— Suna Majhi

Due to excessive deforestation, we specifically have a shortage of water. Also, there is a significant shortage of food and fruits.

— Karunakar Uthansing · Maradipanga, Kandhamal, Odisha

My experience is that the 39 °C is making me irritated and uncomfortable in day time. Couldn't sleep and sit without electricity. Go in the shower room and sit there. Use air conditioners and cooler water. Avoid full clothes.

— Deepak Oraon · Mahua, Vaishali, Bihar

I think this summer was much hotter than previous years. During the afternoons, it became very difficult to keep my grocery shop open. The shop is small, and there is no fan to keep me cool. I carry a large water bottle and drink water frequently to avoid dehydration. Sometimes, I have to close my shop in the afternoon because of the extreme heat. I often feel tired and suffer from headaches due to the high temperatures. The heat has also affected my business, as very few customers come to the shop during the afternoon. Most people prefer to stay indoors until the weather becomes cooler.

— Rohan Shinde · Billapura, Bengaluru Urban, Karnataka

This summer has been hotter than usual. This year we experienced more heat waves. We also stopped agriculture in summer due to the unavailability of water for irrigation. This somewhat impacted our economy, which had been a source of external income. During the day, we drink mango and tamarind juice, which helps us maintain our body temperature.

— Anish Toppo · Raiboga, Sundargarh, Odisha

I come from Assam. I have to say that Bengaluru was really hot this year. The temperature was high at night. I always carry a water bottle with me. I try to stay inside when it is the hottest part of the day. Many students get tired when they are going to college especially when they are on buses. There are not places to wait in the shade at the bus stops so it is not very comfortable to commute. The heat in Bengaluru has changed my routine and it is harder for me to focus I get tired really fast. Bengaluru heat is something that I am still getting used to. It is affecting my life in many ways like my daily routine and my concentration, in Bengaluru.

— Rohan Shinde · Boorakunte, Sarjapura, Bengaluru Urban