CSE: 76% of Delhi heat-stressed

The Centre for Science and Environment said on June 2 that 75.78% of Delhi’s area has been persistently heat-stressed in summers, based on a decade-long geospatial analysis of land surface temperatures from 2015 to 2024. The Delhi-based research group said the pattern reflects repeated breaches of a 45 degrees Celsius land-surface threshold in the same parts of the city for six or more years. (cseindia.org) Down To Earth, CSE’s affiliated publication, said the findings were released with maps showing where recurring heat stress is concentrated across the capital. The report, titled *Making Delhi Heat-Resilient*, said the city’s shrinking green cover and spread of built-up surfaces have intensified heat exposure. CSE said nearly 98.72% of Delhi crossed the heat threshold at least once over the decade, indicating that extreme surface heat is no longer limited to a few industrial pockets. (cseindia.org) The group said current responses remain inadequate for people who live or work in the hottest parts of the city, including construction workers, street vendors and informal-settlement residents. ### How did CSE decide which parts of Delhi count as persistently heat-stressed? Rajneesh Sareen, CSE’s programme director for sustainable habitat, said the study used Landsat satellite data to identify heat spots and track changes in natural heat sinks across Delhi. (cseindia.org) He said the team treated 45 degrees Celsius land surface temperature as the threshold and classified areas that crossed it repeatedly for more than six years as heat-stressed. Land surface temperature is different from the air temperature reported in weather forecasts. Hindustan Times, citing the same study, said surfaces near the Yamuna riverbanks measured about 33 degrees Celsius on a hot day while areas around Indira Gandhi International Airport reached 60.7 degrees Celsius, showing how sharply heat conditions can vary within the city. (cseindia.org) ### Which parts of Delhi showed up as the hottest? CSE said industrial areas including Bawana, Mayapuri and Mundka were among the recurring heat hotspots. The report also flagged dense low-rise residential colonies and newer built complexes including Bharat Mandapam and East Kidwai Nagar. (cseindia.org) Hindustan Times reported that 153 of Delhi’s 272 wards had more than 75% of their area under recurring heat stress, while 82 wards had more than 90%. It said 17 wards, including Turkman Gate, Ballimaran, Bazar Sitaram, Baljit Nagar, Babarpur and Budh Vihar, were completely heat-stressed. (hindustantimes.com) ### What does the report say about “feels-like” heat? CSE said Delhi’s “feels-like” temperature reached as high as 52 degrees Celsius in 2025, citing India Meteorological Department data. The report linked that level of heat to rising health risks and said heat was already causing deaths in the city. (cseindia.org) The Union health ministry reported 25 heat-related deaths in Delhi in 2024, according to the CSE release, while the group said independent estimates put the toll at more than 55. CSE also said around 50% of Delhi’s population falls into vulnerable categories that are more exposed to outdoor heat and less able to protect themselves from it. (hindustantimes.com) ### Why does green cover keep coming up in the findings? CSE said the recurring heat pattern was worsened by the “dramatic shrinking” of Delhi’s green cover. Hindustan Times, citing the report, said green areas and water bodies have increasingly been replaced by concrete, asphalt and dense masonry that absorb and retain solar heat. (cseindia.org) A separate Down To Earth report last month said even modest increases in neighborhood green cover can reduce felt temperatures by about 1 degree Celsius, though the benefits are unevenly distributed across richer and poorer parts of Delhi. (cseindia.org) ### What comes next in this story? CSE released the report on June 2 to mark Global Heat Action Day and said it includes a city action plan focused on vulnerable groups as well as longer-term urban measures. The report and its maps are available through CSE and Down To Earth, and Delhi’s ward-level heat exposure findings are likely to shape the next round of local heat-response discussions. (downtoearth.org.in) (cseindia.org)