CHENNAI: The city’s informal workers are losing both working days and income due to heat-related illness, with 28.4% of workers surveyed in Vyasarpadi reporting that they had lost at least one working day because of heat-related illness, a community-led study has found.
The study, which surveyed 260 residents in Vyasarpadi and Ramapuram between the last week of June and the first week of August 2026, highlighted the growing impact of prolonged heat exposure on the health and livelihoods of vulnerable communities.
The economic impact was evident in the experience of Chinnayya, who has been running a tiffin shop in Ramapuram for 34 years. Prolonged exposure to heat while working near a stove, along with other difficulties, affected his health and forced him to shut his shop for more than two months. He spent around Rs 60,000 on treatment and estimated that he lost nearly Rs 3 lakh in income. For four months, he could operate his shop only at night.
In Vyasarpadi, 28.4% of workers said that they had lost at least one working day due to heat-related illness, with some reporting losses of up to six days. In Ramapuram, 16.9% reported losing working days, with some cases involving losses of up to 15 days.
Working conditions further increased workers’ vulnerability. In Vyasarpadi, 38.8% of workers said they had no shade at their workplace, while 44.8% said they did not get afternoon breaks. Another 37.3% reported that free drinking water was unavailable at their workplace.
The health burden was also significant. Nearly 94.7% of respondents in Vyasarpadi reported dehydration or excessive thirst in the previous 30 days, while 78.2% reported headaches and 68.4% exhaustion. Muscle cramps were reported by 57.1%, while 51.1% reported dizziness or fainting.
Heat-related hospitalisation was reported by 38.3% of households in Vyasarpadi during the previous 30 days, compared with 21.3% in Ramapuram.
For many informal workers, following official heat advisories is difficult as the recommendation to remain indoors and avoid outdoor activity during peak afternoon hours conflicts with the need to earn a daily income.
The study also found gaps in awareness about heatwave preparedness. About 75.2% of respondents in Vyasarpadi said they did not know which government department to contact during a heat emergency.
Further, 73.7% said they had either not received heatwave warnings or did not know whether they had received them in May 2026.
Small businesses also reported losses during periods of extreme heat. Flower shop owner Indra said, “On some days, I purchase flowers worth Rs 1,500 but manage to sell only around Rs 500 worth of stock.”
Hot Chips shop owner Kumaresan said, “The heat between 10 am and noon makes it difficult to remain inside the shop, but closing the shop is not an option.”
The report called for shaded and ventilated rest spaces, free drinking water, compulsory rest breaks during extreme heat and compensation for heat-related loss of work. It also sought more public drinking water points, heat-resilient bus stops and better access to public toilets.
It recommended stronger heatwave communication through multilingual warnings, regular awareness campaigns and clear information on the government departments to be contacted during emergencies.
The study stressed that heat resilience measures should take into account the realities of informal workers, for whom staying indoors during peak heat hours could mean losing a day’s income.