Residents of Haryana's Charkhi Dadri are facing a severe water crisis for over a week, forcing them to buy water. The shortage coincides with a severe heatwave, with experts warning of health risks for children.
Residents of Haryana's Charkhi Dadri district are grappling with an acute water crisis, with households increasingly dependent on water tankers for their daily needs amid a prolonged shortage. Locals say the situation has persisted for over a week, disrupting daily routines and forcing families to either wait endlessly for tankers or purchase water at high prices.
A resident said, "There is no water. We have been facing this problem for more than a week. Children have to go to school, but how will they take a bath?... Even if we are calling for tankers, they are not available on time... Earlier, the water used to be so dirty that the children used to fall sick... No one from the administration has come yet."
Another local resident said, "There is a severe water shortage in Charkhi Dadri. People haven't received even a drop of water for the past week. As for the tankers, we have to call them multiple times... People have to buy water for Rs 800 to Rs 900."
Heatwave Compounds Health Risks
Amid this, India, especially the Northern part, has been grappling with the severe heatwave with temperatures soaring past 45 degrees Celsius. Dr Shalini Tyagi, Director of Paediatric Care at Medanta, Noida, on Thursday, advised parents to take extra precautions for children amid rising heatwave conditions, warning that children are more vulnerable to dehydration, heat stress and related infections during extreme weather. The warning comes as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for heatwave conditions in Delhi, Haryana, and Chandigarh, with similar conditions likely in several other states, including Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Telangana, Odisha, and Uttarakhand.
Doctor's Advisory for Children
Speaking to ANI about the impact of heat on children's health, Dr Tyagi said, "Every weather change affects children more than it affects adults. If you look at it, children have a larger body surface area relative to their weight, meaning they absorb more heat. Additionally, their thermoregulation system is not as well-developed as it is in adults."
She further warned that seasonal heat is leading to multiple health complications among children, adding, "Because of the heat, we frequently see children suffering from diarrhoea and dehydration, and certain respiratory infections also increase during this time."
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