Sites of Work

Delhi

Exploring urban health challenges across two
distinct settlements in India’s capital city.

Research Overview

Delhi, the capital city of India, is experiencing severe impacts of climate change across seasons – with increasing heat waves, unpredictable rain and flooding and air pollution that is exacerbated during the winter months with altered wind patterns. Our research in Delhi unpacks the complex intersection of rapid urbanization, environmental challenges, and health disparities amidst long standing inequalities. We focus on two sites that illustrate different aspects of urban vulnerability and adaptation for climate hazards across seasons.

Jaitpur

Jaitpur is located in the south-east peripheral edge of the city’s boundary. Over years of incremental auto construction in the peripheries of the city, the area has a range of housing typologies including settlements that are classified as unauthorized colonies, as well as self built housing by farming communities on the floodplains of the river Yamuna.

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Climate Hazards

💧 Flooding
🌬️ Air pollution
🌡️ Heat
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Social Determinants

🔵 Unauthorised colony on O-Zone on floodplain
🔵 Poor access to health systems
🔵 Inadequate basic services
🔵 Inadequate and congested housing
🔵 Compounded gender, age, identity-based vulnerabilities
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Anticipated Health Outcomes

💧 Increase in Waterborne diseases
🌬️ Respiratory syndromes
❤️ Cardiovascular health issues
🌡️ Dehydration and heat stress
💧 Injury due to flood

Bhalswa

Located in north-west Delhi, Bhalswa has one of three of the city’s largest landfill sites. Several informal waste workers live in close proximity to the landfill in self built housing with insecure tenure and inadequate access to basic services. The city’s changing climate exacerbates multiple vulnerabilities of the residents across seasons.

Climate Hazards
Heat
Air pollution
Water logging
Anticipated Health Outcomes
Respiratory syndromes
Skin and eyesight issues
Cardiovascular health issues
Increase in Waterborne diseases
Poor health outcomes overall in children, adults and elderly