This summer is unbearably hot. Doctors advise people to stay indoors to avoid heat stroke. And people happily do so. But not all people have this luxury. Like gig worker N. Muralidharan, 28, from Melur. He has to ride miles and miles under a scorching sun for at least 12 hours a day for a living. Like him, there are thousands who have no option but to work outdoors to feed their families.
Wiht the mercury level in several parts of the State like Madurai, Ramanathapuram, Erode and Tiruchi hovering around 40 degree Celsius, the Meteorological Department had allayed fears of a heatwave in Tamil Nadu.
Mr. Muralidharan, who was waiting at a bus stop in Anna Nagar staring at his mobile phone, waiting for his next order to pop up, says, “Since I did not complete college, I could not take a formal job. Instead of working as an informal worker, I thought door-to-door food delivery is a better option, a job in tune with the changing times.”
Just then he receives a message. He has to pick up a food order in a restaurant located two km way. Tying a sweaty handkerchief over his head before wearing the helmet, he speeds off.
Sweltering heat or pouring rain, people like him need to rush off and complete as many deliveries as possible in a day. Doctor’s advice on avoiding outdoor activities, carrying an umbrella, drinking lassi, etc, to stay hydrated is just impractical for people like him.
The State government, for its part, has devised several Heat Action Plans (HAPs) specific to districts. These plans guide local authorities in preparing for and responding to the risks of heatwave conditions by establishing a set of protocols for various departments such as health, labour and agriculture to mitigate the sufferings.
However, a report by the Centre for Policy Research says that HAPs, very few of which exist at the city level, have not been designed to manage local and context-specific challenges. Using these plans, one can neither identify nor address heat-related issues of the vulnerable people.
This is critical because people do not experience the heat the same way. Social factors such as economic standing, gender, caste, political power and subscription to ideas spread on social media are all involved in how people in urban areas understand and react to heat conditions.
M. Vetriselvan of Poovulagin Nanbargal, an environment-based organisation, says, “Lately, gig workers who are one of the products of urbanisation, are being neglected and excluded from all labour protection mechanisms that can protect their rights.”
As they are termed partners by their companies, they cannot come under the ambit of any of the monitoring mechanisms. Construction workers, who are considered unorganised sector workers, can be monitored by Labour Welfare Department. But gig workers have no proper grievance redress system.
“The HAP which aims at combating the raising temperature, does not have solid solutions to deal with the issue long-term. The Meteorological department’s forecast of a heat wave and orange alert for a few districts has only increased the apprehension among scientists who believe this trend to recur with vigour in the coming days,” Mr. Vetriselvan says.
“So, instead of issuing the customary dos and don’ts to cope with summer, which is anyway not helpful at all, a detailed strategy must be worked out to mitigate the sufferings of the voiceless,” he says.
