Delhi is literally burning hot. With the city suffering from high tempertaure and frequent power cuts, Delhiites are doing everything they can to tackle heat. PGs without the facility of air conditioners and coolers are going the traditional way and making use of water to keep them cool.
“In my stuffy room on the second floor, when it becomes really hot I take out cold water bottles from the refrigerator and pour all of them over the bed sheets. It then becomes very cold and then it is nice to sleep,” says Swati Tandon, a 19-year-old college student.
Malls in the city, apart from shopping, are serving another purpose for Delhiites — a refuge from heat. “When there is no electricity in the house and the heat becomes unbearable then I just call up friends and hang out with them at the malls in Rajouri Garden. They are always air conditioned and you can just sit around and do time pass,” says Nitin Gupta, final year student of Shivaji College.
Others prefer to keep themselves cool by opting for accessories such as umbrellas, sunglasses and hats. “When I am outside I get myself equipped with cap, sunglasses, umbrellas to tackle the heat. At home I regularly drink water, juices and keep splashing water on my face. I have a very cute Chinese fan made of cloth which I use whenever I am outside in buses and autos and I’m feeling hot,” says Simran Narang, a 2nd year student of Khalsa College.
The heat wave is also affecting the pets. “I can take respite under the ceiling fan but what about my poor golden retriever pooch? He has thick hairy coat and is always uncomfortable in this weather. You cannot switch on the AC every time for him, so I have put a table fan on the floor. In front of the fan I keep a bowl of ice. So he sits in front of the fan and as the air blows over ice cubes it becomes cold,” says Manisha Gupta, a homemaker in Patparganj.
Others prefer to keep themselves cool by opting for accessories such as umbrellas, sunglasses and hats. “When I am outside I get myself equipped with cap, sunglasses, umbrellas to tackle the heat. At home I regularly drink water, juices and keep splashing water on my face. I have a very cute Chinese fan made of cloth which I use whenever I am outside in buses and autos and I’m feeling hot,” says Simran Narang, a 2nd year student of Khalsa College.
The heat wave is also affecting the pets. “I can take respite under the ceiling fan but what about my poor golden retriever pooch? He has thick hairy coat and is always uncomfortable in this weather. You cannot switch on the AC every time for him, so I have put a table fan on the floor. In front of the fan I keep a bowl of ice. So he sits in front of the fan and as the air blows over ice cubes it becomes cold,” says Manisha Gupta, a homemaker in Patparganj.
“I live on the top floor. The roof gets very hot. So in the night before going to sleep, I pour at least five buckets of water on the terrace. This cools down the entire place,” says Vikas Malhotra, a resident of Noida. Others such as Devika Roy, a journalist, prefer to go the traditional way by putting khus khus sheets on the windows of her room “You just have to water it regularly and it has an amazing cooling effect,” she says. “At least, for a few hours.”