Written, Edited and Illustrated by: Deepshikha Banerjee
Delhi, a city that rarely slows down, came to an uncharacteristic halt in December 2024 as an unforgiving cold wave swept across its streets. The mercury plunged to a bone-chilling 4.5°C, the lowest recorded temperature of the season. For most, this was an inconvenience—a reason to bundle up and complain about frozen mornings. But for the city’s poorest, it was a life-or-death battle.
The sudden onset of this harsh winter coincided with widespread food insecurity, painting a grim picture of survival in the nation’s capital. For Delhi’s thousands of homeless and impoverished families, hunger already loomed as a persistent shadow. This year, the early winter struck like a cruel adversary, stripping them of their last defenses against the elements.
Stuck between icy nights and growling stomachs, their plight went largely unnoticed, save for a few sporadic reports of deaths due to hypothermia or starvation. The invisible war against poverty was now fought on frostbitten pavements, as families lit fires with whatever they could find—often garbage—to stave off the cold.
As if the cold wasn’t enough, Delhi’s air turned into poison. With an Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeding 345—classified as “very poor”—the smog and chill together created a deadly cocktail. Those forced to live on the streets inhaled the toxic air as they shivered, their fragile health systems buckling under the strain. For children and the elderly, who make up a large part of the homeless population, this winter became a silent killer.
The poor didn’t just bear the brunt of harsh weather; they bore the consequences of systemic neglect. Without insulated shelters or access to medical care, they were left to fend for themselves. Respiratory issues surged, and hypothermia claimed more lives as the temperatures continued to plummet.
The Delhi government, aware of the looming crisis, deployed resources to mitigate the situation. Emergency night shelters sprang up across the city, equipped with blankets and warm meals. Yet, the need far outstripped the supply. Activists reported overcrowded shelters and insufficient bedding, with many still forced to sleep in the open.
NGOs tried to bridge the gap, but their efforts were akin to placing band-aids on a hemorrhaging wound. As the city braced for more bitter nights, the question loomed: how could one of India’s wealthiest cities fail so many of its residents during their darkest hour?
This winter isn’t just about weather. It is a stark reminder of the inequality that defines Delhi—a city of towering skyscrapers and sprawling slums, where one man warms himself by a fireplace while another burns discarded tires for survival.
Climate change and urbanization have only magnified these disparities. Unpredictable weather patterns are becoming the norm, and the poorest are left to bear the brunt. They are the least responsible for the crisis, yet the most affected by its consequences.
Delhi cannot afford to treat this winter as a one-off crisis. It must serve as a wake-up call to address the deeper structural issues of poverty and homelessness. The government needs to scale up its capacity for disaster preparedness, with more shelters, better insulation, and year-round welfare programs. Climate adaptation plans must focus on protecting vulnerable populations.
But more importantly, this city needs empathy. For every life lost on the streets, there is a story of systemic failure, of promises unfulfilled, of a city too busy to notice its forgotten citizens.
As Delhi warms itself by heaters and tea, it must also warm its heart. Because no one should have to choose between hunger and frostbite. And no one should be invisible in the cold embrace of winter.
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