Indian rickshaw driver stays cool on the move with rooftop garden
By Sunil Kataria
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – As a lot of India swelters in unusually excessive temperatures, the driving force of 1 New Delhi autorickshaw has discovered a brand new manner of maintaining himself and his passengers cool: rising a mini-garden on the three-wheeler’s roof.
Mahendra Kumar says the overlaying of grasses and vegetation shields the plastic and steel roof of the automobile from direct daylight.
“I planted them to get some respite throughout the warmth,” the 48-year-old stated, standing by his inexperienced and yellow autorickshaw in a gray uniform and a shawl slung from his neck to wipe away sweat.
“It’s sunny however the presence of those vegetation is maintaining us cool and offering us with recent air,” stated one passenger, Maya Bisht.
Autorickshaw taxis are ubiquitous in Indian cities and common for affordable short-distance journey.
Kumar, who has additionally put in followers inside his, says the backyard options not less than 25 completely different vegetation, a few of them edible. “I’ve grown tomatoes, mango, okra, snake gourd, and spinach.”
India suffered its hottest March in additional than a century and temperatures above 40 levels Celsius in lots of cities for a lot of April. Scientists say world warming is accountable. Greater than two dozen folks have died of suspected warmth stroke since late March and energy demand has hit multi-year highs.
(Reporting by Krishna N. Das; enhancing by John Stonestreet)
