Why in the News?

Millions of informal workers in Indian cities are still suffering the most because Heat Action Plans are poorly designed.

What are the key gaps in current Heat Action Plans for informal workers?

Lack of Specific Focus on Informal Workers: Most Heat Action Plans do not explicitly identify or address the unique needs of informal workers. Eg: NDMA’s 2019 heatwave guidelines mention “outdoor workers” broadly, without specific measures for vendors, construction workers, or waste pickers.
Absence of Occupational Safety Protocols: There are no provisions for safe working hours, rest breaks, hydration, or emergency response for heat stress. Eg: State-level HAPs often do not mandate rest periods or shaded areas for those working under the sun, unlike Odisha which mandates halts in outdoor work during peak heat hours.
Short-term and Crisis-oriented Planning: Most HAPs are activated only during summer months and lack long-term strategies to tackle recurring heatwaves. Eg: City-level HAPs like those in Delhi focus on public awareness during heat alerts but don’t invest in permanent cooling infrastructure.
Inadequate Coordination Between Departments: Ministries and departments (Labour, Urban Affairs, Health) work in silos, leading to disjointed efforts. Eg: Urban development plans rarely consult labour departments, leaving out worker welfare components like cooling shelters at work sites.
No Budgetary Provision or Worker Participation: Most HAPs are underfunded and formulated without involving worker collectives or unions. Eg: Unlike Ahmedabad’s more inclusive model that adjusted work hours and created shaded rest areas, many cities fail to allocate funds or consult informal worker groups.

Why are informal workers most vulnerable to heatwaves?

Prolonged Exposure to Outdoor Heat: Informal workers often work in open, unshaded environments without protective infrastructure. Eg: Street vendors and construction workers spend long hours on roads or open sites under direct sunlight, increasing the risk of heatstroke and dehydration.
Lack of Social and Health Protection: Most informal workers are not covered under formal health insurance or welfare schemes. Eg: Waste pickers or rickshaw pullers facing heat exhaustion rarely get access to medical care or income support during extreme weather conditions.
No Control Over Work Conditions: Informal work lacks regulated hours, rest breaks, or heat safety norms. Eg: Gig workers or daily wage labourers often continue working during peak heat hours to avoid income loss, further risking their health.

Who should be included in drafting worker-focused HAPs?

Informal Worker Collectives and Unions: These groups bring first-hand knowledge of occupational challenges and practical needs. Eg: Street vendor associations can guide the placement of shaded stalls or cooling zones in high-traffic market areas.
Local Civil Society and NGOs: They have ground-level experience working with vulnerable communities and can ensure inclusive planning. Eg: NGOs working with waste pickers can help identify priority locations for hydration points and rest shelters.
Urban Local Bodies and Municipal Officials: City planners and officials must coordinate resources and integrate worker needs into official frameworks. Eg: Municipal corporations can designate public spaces like bus depots or community halls as cooling centers for workers.

Where should cooling zones be set up for maximum worker benefit?

High-Density Work Areas: Install cooling zones where informal workers are concentrated and exposed to heat. Eg: Labour chowks, construction sites, and industrial zones where daily wage workers gather and work outdoors.
Public Transport Hubs and Markets: Busy areas with long waiting times or heavy footfall offer strategic relief points. Eg: Bus stations, metro exits, and wholesale markets where street vendors and rickshaw pullers operate.
Slum Clusters and Informal Settlements: Set up community cooling centres where workers live in poorly ventilated, heat-trapping environments. Eg: Urban slums lacking trees or open spaces, where indoor heat stress is high during nights and afternoons.

How can cities integrate heat resilience into governance and planning? (Way forward)

Embed Heat-Safety Norms in Urban Planning Frameworks: Include heat adaptation measures in master plans, building bye-laws, and zoning regulations. Eg: Mandating cool roofs, passive ventilation, and shaded pathways in all new public infrastructure projects.
Retrofit Informal Workspaces for Thermal Comfort: Upgrade existing markets, labour hubs, and waste collection zones with heat-resilient designs. Eg: Installing reflective roofing, shade nets, and drinking water stations in street vendor zones.
Establish Interdepartmental Coordination and Accountability: Create dedicated roles (like a heat officer) and inter-ministerial task forces for climate and labour. Eg: A city-level heat officer coordinating between health, labour, and urban departments to ensure timely responses during heatwaves.

Mains PYQ:

[UPSC 2013] Bring out the causes for the formation of heat islands in the urban habitat of the world.

Linkage: It is time to protect India’s workers from the heat” discusses the growing crisis of extreme heat in Indian cities and its severe impact on urban informal workers.

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