Sweat, Drown, Parch: Why India's megacities can't handle extreme weather? | ft. Jaya Dhindaw

Every year, between May to September, the same images make the rounds. The national capital first sweats and then drowns with even a few millimetres of rain. The city that never sleeps braces water logging every year without fail. The silicon valley of India while facing traffic snarls the whole year dreads the monsoon months which make it worse. 

Why is it that India's megacities crumble under the slightest variation in weather? Why are our national, financial capitals and metro cities not built to adapt to extreme weather conditions? Is it myopic city planning or unprecedented events? 

As climate change related impacts intensify, cities have to prepare a long term plan to adapt to changing climatic conditions. 

To discuss the same, we talked with Jaya Dhindaw, Executive Program Director, Sustainable Cities and Director, WRI India Ross Center.

Jaya is an urban development professional and researcher with over two decades of global experience in sustainable development, urban resilience and natural resource management. 

Jaya has in the past worked for the Centre for Infrastructure, Sustainable Transport and Urban Planning (CISTUP) at the Indian Institute of Science. She has also worked with the City of Charlotte for over 8 years, first with the transit system and then with the planning department. 

Full transcript of the episode is available in English 

Presented by 101Reporters

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