A recent heat wave in Kolkata has forced many people to work in the sweltering heat with temperatures reaching 40 degrees celsius. This specifically had a drastic impact on the residents of Kasia Bagan, a small town in Kolkata. There had been a power cut in their village for more than 3 days, causing them to bear the heat without fans and electricity. On the other hand, a shopping mall located right next to them had not been facing any power cuts and was functioning smoothly. This infuriated the people of Kaisa Bagan causing them to storm the mall on April 16, 2023 in what was known as the "Quest Mall Protest". People in the slums had been dying of heat strokes while the mall right beside them had been fully functioning! Fortunately, a few hours after the protest began, a generator had set up in their neighbourhood and the power had come back.
However, India is currently at the risk of facing many heat waves in the next ten years with over 770 million people located in dangerous parts. Who's to say that something like this will happen again? "Calcutta Rescue" is an NGO who supports disadvantaged people living on the streets of Kolkata providing them healthcare services for free. If you want to contribute to help the lives of these poor people, check out their website: https://calcuttarescue.org/
By Prachi V Pandit
