Heat, Power, & Water

This summer is very difficult because of the extreme heat. During the afternoon, it is hard to go outside and do daily work comfortably. To deal with the heat, I make sure to drink plenty of water and traditional drinks like sattu and buttermilk. I also try to go out only in the morning or evening when the temperature is lower.

— Sahil Singh · Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh

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

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

Our village has a severe water problem, which causes us a lot of trouble. We do get water now, but in the summer season, we struggle for water.

— Ram Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh

Response 1 - Farmer:This summer has been much hotter than usual. Working in the fields during the afternoon is difficult, so we start work early in the morning and finish before the heat becomes too strong. We drink plenty of water and buttermilk to stay hydrated.Response 2 – Homemaker:The heat inside the house has been uncomfortable, especially in the afternoons. We keep children indoors, drink more water, buttermilk, and tender coconut water, and use fans throughout the day. This summer feels hotter than previous years.Response 3 – Shopkeeper:Customer visits are lower during the afternoon because most people prefer to stay indoors. People usually come to the market in the morning or evening. Many customers say this has been one of the hottest summers in recent years.

— Devadharshini S · Kappalur, Madurai, Tamil Nadu

Hello, regarding the summer, the sun is very strong. But since we are in the countryside, we don't feel it much because we work in the village. It's a little, a little more. But because we are farmers, we don't feel it. But I don't know how you people in town are coping, poor things. The sun is indeed very strong this year. I don't know if it will stay like this or how it will be. But we ourselves are drinking a lot of water in the countryside. But even if we farm like that, our farming is not yielding much. The yield is very low. Half of the harvest is wasted due to yellow disease. I don't know how we are going to cope.

— Divagar N · Parakkalur AD Street, Salem, 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

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

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

We experience a lot of heat here, and even though we are in Uttarakhand, we have to endure a lot of heat. And to protect ourselves from the heat, we drink more and more water and sometimes sit under trees. And we try to drink more cold water so that we don't feel the heat and don't wander much outside, staying around the house. Drink cold water.

— Anshika Saxena · Kichha, Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand

My name is Senbagam. We do loom work. It's a thatched house, being inside it in the sun is a bit difficult. Because the sun was intense, we drank a lot of water. Then cool drinks, tender coconut, watermelon, we ate many such varieties, only then the heat would be a bit less. As there was no rain, the sun was a bit more intense. To reduce that, if we eat these water-based foods, it will be a bit good and refreshing for the body. We can also stop for a while and operate the loom in the afternoon. Otherwise, operating the loom is a bit difficult.

— Divagar N · Parakkalur AD Street, Salem, Tamil Nadu

The heat was very strong this summer. I felt tired and sweaty whenever I went outside. The afternoons were especially very hot and it was difficult to stay outside for a long time. Because of the heat, I tried to finish my work in the morning or evening. I drink more water everyday and eat fruits like watermelon and cucumber. I also wear light cotton clothes and use a fan to stay cool. These things help me deal with the heat during summers.

— Pragati Raut · Akola, Maharashtra

Response 1 – Sourabh "I live in Aundh. This summer is very hot. Even mornings feel like an oven. I feel tired by afternoon at work. One day the power went off and it was unbearable. To deal with the heat, I drink lots of water and buttermilk. I stay inside with AC and go out only early morning or evening." Response 2 – Madhavi "I live in Kothrud and have a 9-5 job. This summer is extremely hot. Travelling to office is very difficult. I feel sweaty and tired all the time. To deal with the heat, I carry water bottle, wear cotton clothes, and take cold showers after work. I also eat more watermelon and cucumber." Response 3 – Abhishek "I live in Yerwada and work night shift. This summer is very bad. Daytime sleeping is hard because of the heat. I get headaches often. To deal with it, I use a cooler, put wet cloth on head, and drink lots of cold water at work. I take breaks in AC areas of the mall."

— Prayag Gaikwad · Pune, Maharashtra

This summer has been tiring because I travel to different houses every day for work. Usually, I take public transport or walk short distances between places, and the heat has made that much harder. Sometimes by the time I reach the next house, I'm already sweating and feeling exhausted. Sometimes I cannot even carry food, and all my water finishes within a short time. Many households I work in also offer water or cold drinks, which makes a big difference. At home, we try to keep the doors and windows open during the evenings for airflow because running fans all day increases the electricity bill. For working people, this heat is not just uncomfortable—it affects our energy throughout the day

— Sanjukta Chanda · Kuthambakkam, Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu

There is a water problem in our village.

— Sonmati · Ormaura, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

There is a water problem in our village.

— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK

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

There is a water problem in our village. We bring water from afar for drinking and to sustain our lives. It's a very big problem; the wells are also far away.

— Ram Maravi · Dindori, Madhya Pradesh

I am from Bihar, where the summer's really hot. Bengaluru is a lot better than my hometown when it comes to the heat.. This year the summer in Bengaluru was bad. I work outside all day as a construction worker. So it is hard for me to work in the afternoon when the sun's high. I drink a lot of water and something called ORS to stay cool. I also take breaks when I can. Some of the workers at my site felt weak because of the heat. There are not trees or shaded areas at construction sites, which makes it hard to work. Even though Bengaluru is cooler than Bihar the summer was still tough. It made my job really exhausting. The heat made it hard for me to do my work as a construction worker, in Bengaluru.

— Rohan Shinde · Billapura, Bengaluru Urban, Karnataka

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

The summer has been very difficult to handle. As I usually sweat a lot. I have extensively started using AC. Something I need to travel during the day with in hot summer. I got dehydrated a lot. I just started drinking more water. Had lot of watermons. Lemon juice. Bathed twice if needed

— Sahil Singh · Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh

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

The city I live in had a lot of heat this year. In fact, it got very hot, which wasn't seen last year. There's nothing much to do in this heat. We just drink as much water and sherbet as we can and stay in AC. Our directly

— Urvashi Sriraman · Mugalivakkam, Chennai Corporation, Chennai

There is an electricity problem in our village. There is a water problem in our village. Ration is not directly available in our village.

— Anand tandiya · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh

There is a water problem in my village, due to which there is a big problem with drinking water in the village.

— Anand tandiya · Mandla, 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

There is a very severe water problem in my village, due to which the villagers (struggle) for drinking water

— Anand tandiya · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh

To deal with the heat, we use fans most of the time and a cooler when the temperature becomes too high. We also drink more water to stay hydrated during the summer

— Sahil Singh · Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh

Ajitpal Singh | 18 yrs. This summer was very hot, although, it is also accompanied by more rain than usual. The problem was that after the rain it would immediately return to the same level of heat. Because of extreme heat during afternoon, I avoid going out. My coaching time has also changed to evening. I wear a cold water soaked cloth will travelling on my two wheeler. At home, we are heavily dependent on AC. Other than that, my water and liquid intake has increased.

— Harmanjot Kaur · Rajgarh, Barnala, Punjab

My name is Palanisamy. I am a weaver. This year, the impact of the sun was very high. So we, being from a rural area, ate a lot of palm fruit (nungu). We drank tender coconut water. Besides that, we consumed naturally grown palm candy. We ate these things. We consumed water-rich foods like watermelon, sugarcane juice. We ate these kinds of things to keep our body cool. However, because the heat this year was very intense, we consumed water-rich foods.

— Divagar N · Parakkalur AD Street, Salem, Tamil Nadu

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

This summer in Bangalore was unlike anything that I have seen there ,it was unusually hot and it was so dry and there was no speck of monsoon at all . I have a problem of getting migraines because of extreme heat so there was a lot of that and exhaustion and fatigue because of the heat and working in it especially during the field work . i just kept myself very hydrated throughout all of it so that my body is at least the heat is regulated in my body and i do not suffer physiologically because of it.

— Zainab Rizwi · Cornwallis Colony, New Delhi, Unknown

This summer in Rourkela was very hot and humid. The temperature remained high during the day, making outdoor activities difficult. I tried to stay indoors during the afternoon, drank plenty of water, and consumed cooling drinks like lemon water and coconut water. I also wore light cotton clothes and used fans and coolers to stay comfortable.

— Anish Toppo · Rourkela, Sundargarh, Odisha

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

There is a problem with the hand pump in our village, we have to go far to drink water.

— Amar Lal Dhurwey

There is a major water problem in the village. There is only one hand pump, and many houses rely on it. During summer, people have to go one kilometer away. The problem is water.

— Amar Lal Dhurwey