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Urban poor in Pune fight hunger and heat during lockdown
Residents mainly from the lower economic category claim that the lockdown has been tough for them, with no earnings to purchase daily needs and dealing with problems which arise due to the rising mercury.
The lockdown has brought in many restrictions for residents of the city, including not stepping out of their houses. However, those living in tin sheds, which they call their home, are finding it difficult to stay indoors in the swealtering heat.
With temperatures touching 38.2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, slum dwellers living in 10x10 rooms made of tin sheets have to battle the heat apart from their hunger. Residents mainly from the lower economic category claim that the lockdown has been tough for them, with no earnings to purchase daily needs and dealing with problems which arise due to the rising mercury.
Sachin Waghmare, a resident of Kashewadi in Bhavani peth, said, “I used to work as a delivery boy with a local shop. With the shop closed, I have no money now. I have eight family members to feed and took help from certain social and political organisations, but it isn’t enough. The soaring temperature makes it difficult for us to stay indoors during the daytime. When people step out to get some relief from the sun, police officials force us to go back indoors due to the lockdown.”
Corporator from Kashewadi area Avinash Bagwe, said, “For the middle class and higher income groups, it is easy to stay at home, but those living in slums are facing a really tough time. It is very difficult to stay in a small tin room with no fans in this heat. On one hand, there is not enough food and on the other, people can’t go to work.”
Radha Patole, a domestic help, said, “I got help from people where I used to work and got enough food, but now, the problem is the swealtering heat. Before the lockdown, I used to work in the afternoon and come home by evening, thus avoiding the summer heat inside our tin homes. Now, we just have one fan and six family members all cramped inside a 10x10 room.”
Husain Shaikh who lives in the same area said, “I work as a car mechanic, but I have not had any income coming in since the past month. The queue at fair price shops are unending and only those with yellow cards get free foodgrains. Others do not get wheat and rice from the fair price shops. Our homes are small in size and there are six members in the family. In the heat, it is difficult to manage them in such a small space.”
Raju Pardeshi, who is involved in paint jobs and a resident of Taljai slum, said, “I have no money to manage my domestic expenses for the next two weeks. I have a yellow card and so I get free food from the fair price shop. However, with summer approaching, children get irritable due to the heat and hunger adds to the problem.”
Sonali Nangade, a resident of Padmavati, said, “The temperature is soaring, but we are used to living in such conditions now. Earlier, we moved to our villages for sometime in the summers to beat the heat, but now we cannot move also.”
