By Tashi Yangdol, Ladakh, India

Ladakh, known as the cold desert of India, has been experiencing unusual heatwaves in recent years. These heatwaves are having a significant impact on small businesses. The extreme heat has become an obstacle in the daily lives of vendors whose livelihoods depend on outdoor labour and local markets. Vegetable and fruit sellers, cobblers, clothes vendors, etc., provide all essential services to the Ladakh town.

Impact On Health and Livelihood

I met around 100 vendors in Ladakh, and everyone has the same complaint about the rising temperature. Sitting and working long hours in the market physically drains them. They face dehydration, headaches, and fatigue by midday. They said that in the past, Ladakh used to have pleasant summers, but now the weather is becoming harsher every year. They often reduce their working hours to avoid peak hours, which reduces their selling time. Vegetables like green leafy examples, spinach, lettuce, coriander, tomatoes, etc., and fruits like apricots and apples and other perishable items deteriorate faster in the extreme heat. Fewer people visit the market during the midday heat. For the cobbler, extreme heat means fewer customers as people prefer to avoid coming out during the peak midday.

Local Adaptation Efforts

Despite the extreme heat, the vendors have adapted to the challenges they are facing and developed their own local solutions to minimise the damage and losses. They, in order to avoid the extreme heat, use umbrellas, tarpaulin sheets, and clothes to protect themselves from the extreme sunlight. In Leh’s main market, the government have installed permanent shaded roofs for the vegetable vendors. Vegetable sellers keep greens fresh by sprinkling water at intervals. Vendors have also shifted their selling hours to early morning and late evening to avoid the harsh sunlight. They keep water bottles and thermos flasks to stay hydrated throughout the day and also wear cotton clothes, hats and scarves to reduce heat.

Conclusion

The increasing temperatures in Ladakh due to climate change are affecting not just the vendors but also the region’s water supply, agriculture, and overall livelihood. Rapid glacier melt, drying streams, and increased flash floods are some of the environmental impacts of rising temperatures in Ladakh. Ladakhi people need to adapt further to mitigate the impacts of the extreme heat. Strategies like improving water management, adopting climate-resilient crops, and enhancing market practices could help vendors cope with these challenges. Government and NGOs should recognise the problems of the vendors and support them by providing them with a better solution to help them sustain themselves.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this piece are those of the author/s and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of AIDMI.