Laboring Under Delhi’s Harsh Heat, Workers Must Choose Health or Wages

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By Pragati K.B. and Anupreeta Das, The New York Times. 

Excerpt: Severe heat waves have been hitting India since April, forcing many of the country’s essential workers to make tough decisions. ...For millions of workers like Mr. Rastogi — wage laborers, construction workers, street vendors, delivery drivers — the scorching summer in New Delhi often forces them into a bitter trade-off between health and income. They keep the machinery of this city running, and they are among the most susceptible to its harshest conditions. ...On the hottest days, the surface temperature of the ground can reach 140 degrees, according to the Center for Science and Environment, a New Delhi-based think tank. That is when tarmac starts to soften and barefoot workers risk blistering their feet.... 

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