Climate Change on the Pavement: Street Vendors Left Exposed and Unprotected
Image Source: Azim Premji University
In the ever-bustling urban sprawl of India, from the metros to tier-2 and tier-3 towns, there exists a community that silently sustains everyday life: the street vendors. Whether selling fruits under tarpaulin sheets, serving tea outside metro stations, or managing mobile garment stalls, they form the backbone of India’s informal economy. Yet, as the country grapples with the harsh consequences of climate change, these workers—over 10 million strong, according to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (2022)—are among the worst affected. Their exposure is not just to the elements, but also to systemic neglect. In today’s India, the fight for environmental justice is increasingly a fight for the survival of its street vendors.
The Rising Heat and Climate Extremes
India’s tryst with climate volatility is intensifying. The year 2024 marked the highest annual temperature average since 1901, with a mean deviation of 0.65°C above normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The country witnessed more than 37 official heatwave days across multiple states, including Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha. In May 2024, temperatures in cities like Prayagraj and Delhi touched a record 49.2°C, making outdoor survival itself a test of endurance. According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), over 24,000 people have died due to heatwaves in India since 1992.
But heat is just one part of the story. Urban flooding, unseasonal rainfall, cyclonic winds, and severe storms have become increasingly frequent. The Centre for Science and Environment (2023) reports that India saw 314 extreme weather events in just the first nine months of 2023, leading to 2,923 deaths and displacing thousands, many of whom rely on street vending for survival.
Street Vendors and the New Climate Vulnerability
These climate extremes disproportionately impact India’s street vendors, a community operating entirely in open spaces, without fixed structures or climate-resilient infrastructure. According to a study by Greenpeace India and the National Hawkers Federation (2023), over 80% of surveyed vendors reported a decrease in customer footfall during extreme heat events, directly resulting in income losses. Nearly 49.27% of them experienced reduced earnings, often losing ₹300 to ₹1000 daily, depending on location and type of vending.
Health outcomes are equally alarming. The same study recorded that 67.46% suffered from dehydration, 66.93% from headaches, and 73.44% reported increased fatigue and irritability. Vendors also mentioned symptoms of heatstroke, fainting spells, and recurring urinary tract infections, exacerbated by the lack of access to clean drinking water and public toilets—issues that are worsened by heat stress. The International Labour Organization (ILO) highlights that outdoor informal workers, including street vendors, face occupational health hazards that are not recognized or compensated under any state or national scheme.
Beyond health, the economic impact extends to the goods they sell. In cities where many vendors deal with perishable items such as vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and cooked meals, spoilage is frequent. Without access to cold storage or proper shading, vendors often report throwing away up to 25–40% of their stock during peak summer weeks, incurring daily losses and further pushing them toward indebtedness. In cities like Ahmedabad and Nagpur, studies conducted by local NGOs found that 45% of fruit vendors reported wastage due to heat in 2023 alone.
Unseasonal rainfall poses a parallel challenge. A single day of heavy rain can render hundreds of vendors jobless for the day. In Mumbai, data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) revealed that in 2023, there were 36 non-stop rainfall days between June and September, and over 2,800 street vendors reported complete loss of income on those days.
Absence of Basic Public Amenities and Overlooked Sanitation Issues
To tackle the challenges posed by the rise in temperature, easy availability of basic human needs such as clean drinking water spots or public toilets was the bare minimum of support. Although it would not have solved the already existing adversities due to climate change, it would have provided deterrence against the challenges posed. But the lack of basic amenities and sanitation centres on the ground adds to the adversity of the street vendors.
According to the National Association of Street Vendors of India, over 85% of street vendors do not have access to clean water and toilets. In 2023, BBMP identified 33 vending zones, but only 2 of them had public toilets or dustbins. Even in the vending zones where public toilets are available, the condition of the toilets is not satisfactory.
Another major cause of concern is the lack of waste disposal facilities for the street vendors. The rise in temperature results in more wastage, especially in the case of perishable goods due to lack of availability of cold storage services. The absence of proper waste disposal management adds to this concern. The Swachh Bharat Mission Urban (SBM-U) data suggests that in urban India, street vendors contribute to 10–15% of the unmanaged municipal solid waste, but they receive less than 3% of sanitation services. The street vendors are forced to dispose of their wastes directly on streets, pavements, barren lands, or drains, which leads to clogged drains, pests, and public health issues.
The Legislative Vacuum and the Climate Blind Spot
The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 was a progressive attempt to formalize and protect vendor rights. It mandated the formation of Town Vending Committees, issuance of identity cards, allocation of vending zones, and access to welfare schemes. However, despite its intent, the law is alarmingly silent on the subject of climate resilience.
There is no reference to heat mitigation infrastructure, public water access, disaster insurance, or emergency relief for vendors affected by climatic disturbances. Implementation has also faltered. According to the National Hawker Survey 2022, fewer than 15% of vendors in India have received ID cards or recognition under the 2014 Act. In states like Jharkhand, Assam, and Chhattisgarh, this number is under 5%. Without formal recognition, these vendors remain excluded from any form of public aid, whether for healthcare or climate adaptation.
National climate policy frameworks too remain disconnected. The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and most State Action Plans address industries, agriculture, and energy sectors, but the urban informal workforce, including street vendors, is rarely mentioned. Even schemes like PM SVANidhi, launched in 2020 to provide microcredit to street vendors, make no specific provision for heat stress, occupational hazards, or climate adaptation needs.
The Constitutional Fracture: Right to Life and Equality Undermined
The ongoing neglect of street vendors in climate-related policy planning is not just a welfare failure; it is a constitutional breach. In the landmark case M.K. Ranjitsinh & Others vs Union of India & Others (2024), the Supreme Court of India for the first time recognized the “right to be free from the adverse effects of climate change” as a fundamental right under Article 21 (Right to Life) and Article 14 (Right to Equality) of the Indian Constitution.
The judgment highlighted that governments have an affirmative duty to protect vulnerable populations from the fallout of environmental degradation. Street vendors, who form 14% of India’s urban non-agricultural informal workforce, are among the most directly affected by climate-induced disruptions yet receive none of the state protection warranted under this judgment.
The climate crisis is not an equalizer; it is a multiplier of inequality. As the formal sector builds climate-resilient infrastructure and accesses government subsidies and insurance, the informal sector remains exposed and excluded. The absence of heat shelters, water points, and disaster protocols for vendors is a direct denial of their right to dignity, health, and economic security.
Reimagining Urban Climate Policy for All
The way forward lies in inclusive climate governance. Cities must revise their master plans to incorporate street vendors into climate resilience frameworks. This includes the construction of heat-resilient vending shelters, access to drinking water, and mobile cooling units in busy vending areas. Vendors must be provided with portable solar-powered coolers, especially those selling perishables.
Urban local bodies must be mandated to work with vendor associations, integrating them into city disaster response protocols. The Street Vendors Act needs urgent amendments to include climate protection clauses, while schemes like PM SVANidhi must expand to include climate-linked microinsurance.
India’s fight against climate change must also become a fight for constitutional equity. It must remember that resilience is not just built through technology and infrastructure but by empowering its people—especially those who hold up the informal economy on which the urban poor depend.
Street vendors are not relics of an outdated economy; they are the pulse of India’s urban identity. Their resilience through everyday adversities is what keeps cities functional. But resilience should not be expected without protection. As the heat rises and storms intensify, India faces not just a climate emergency but a moral and constitutional test. Will its cities build walls of exclusion or corridors of compassion? The answer will determine whether the Constitution walks the streets or leaves them burning.
About Author: Md Shakaib Shoaib and Samarth Sathyanarayan are second-year students pursuing a BA in Media and Journalism at the Department of Media Studies, Christ (Deemed to Be) University, Bannerghatta Road Campus. Their academic interests lie in reporting issues of social justice, climate change, and urban inequality through in-depth research and storytelling.
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