New Delhi, India – Every morning, before leaving his rented accommodation in New Delhi, India, Aman, a gig worker, fills three plastic bottles with water from a small earthen pot and packs them with leftover food in a shoulder bag. To support his family, the 26-year-old moved from Bihar to New Delhi in 2018 to work as a delivery boy in a logistics company. And it’s the hottest job he’s ever had; he has never endured such torrid working conditions, he says.
Parts of India are currently in the grip of an extreme heatwave. Over the past month, the mercury in Delhi reached the highest temperature ever recorded: 52.9 degrees Celsius (127.2 degrees Fahrenheit); however, weather officials later issued a statement pushing the maximum temperature lower, into the 40s (113-120F). In 2021, a report identified India as one of the five countries in the world most exposed to extreme heat.
“When I ride my two-wheeler while working, the hot air blowing over my body makes me feel like I am sitting in front of a furnace,” says Aman, who goes by one name. Last month, he fainted from the heat while making a delivery in a remote area of Delhi, he said, adding that a trader came to his aid and paid him money. cold water on the head. “Since this incident, I make sure to carry small bottles of water and splash water on my head and face several times during the day to stay conscious,” says Aman, his clothes soaked with sweat.
According to a recent report Rising temperatures in India will reduce daily working hours by 5.8 percent by 2030, according to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). 90 percent of the country’s workers employed in the informal sector, the loss of working hours poses significant challenges.
Aman’s family is concerned for his health and safety. However, quitting or changing jobs is not an option. “While driving, I think about what would happen if something unexpected happened to me because of the heat,” he says. “It scares me, but unfortunately I have no skills other than driving – and a family to support – so I can’t quit this job at any cost.”
The scorching temperatures affect him mentally, he says, but also economically, as they impact his ability to meet his delivery goals. In winter, his daily earnings were around 750 Indian rupees ($9). This amount has now fallen to 500 rupees ($6). “It really haunts me how I’m going to take care of my family,” he laments as he prepares to deliver the last package of his day, after a 10-hour work day.
According to a report According to government think tank NITI Aayog, there are 7.7 million gig workers in India – a number expected to rise to 23.5 million by 2029-30.
Outside a small restaurant in south Delhi, Sharukh, 25, who works for food delivery platform Zomato, stands in front of an old rusty cooler installed by the owner. “Fancy restaurants don’t even allow us to stand in front of their outlets while we are there to collect orders,” says Sharukh, adding that delivery boys also have to ask for water in unbearable heat and feel ” untouchables”. “.
Since the start of the heatwave, Sharukh has avoided accepting orders from high-end restaurants, preferring small establishments where “they have the humanity to offer us water and a place to rest while they prepare the food.” order “.
“After all, I am not a machine capable of working all day in this unbearable temperature,” he says, discouraged, while waiting to collect the seventh order of his shift. Every day, he usually brings in between 500 and 650 rupees ($6 to $7.80).
From March to May, there were approximately 25,000 cases of suspected heat stroke and 56 deaths during the severe heat wave that hit India. May was the worst month, with 46 heat-related deaths, according to the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC). Media outlets like Reuters and The Hindu reported that heatwave-related deaths could reach 80 or even 100.
Last month, while delivering an order, Sharukh felt extreme pain and cramps in his stomach. Since then, he has skipped large meals to stay light and drinks lemonade from roadside stalls to stay hydrated.
“My health has been seriously affected by the heat this year. After work, I feel exhausted and sometimes have severe headaches,” he says. High temperatures also affect him at home, where frequent power outages prevent him from resting properly, worsening his condition. He says his mother insists he find another job, but that’s not an option given the country’s high unemployment rate.
“Also, our companies are not doing much for our safety and well-being,” says Sharukh, wrapping a gamcha (soft cotton towel soaked in water) around his face before heading out to deliver his next order.
Situations such as extended working hours, pressure to meet delivery targets, carrying heavy loads, irregular income and lack of social security like health insurance all negatively impact physical well-being and mental health of gig workers, according to a 2024 study. report by Janpahal, a non-profit organization based in Delhi.
“Even though we all live in similar temperatures, the burden of heat is not shared equally,” says Selomi Garnaik, campaigner at Greenpeace India. “Heat waves disproportionately affect outdoor workers, forcing them to endure extreme temperatures and putting their health and safety at serious risk. »
She says Greenpeace India demands that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) declare heatwaves as a national disaster to ensure “effective allocation of funds for adaptation, mitigation and relief in the event of heatwave.”
“Unfortunately, heat action plans are reduced to simple guidance documents; this needs to change,” adds Garnaik. “Heat action plans should prioritize and pay attention to outside workers, including reducing working hours during heat peaks, providing time off pay and ensuring accessibility of basic public goods such as electricity and water. It is high time to address this inequity and protect those on the front lines during these difficult times.
Govinda Shah, 27, who works for Zepto, a grocery delivery platform, says: “The temperature in Delhi is like hellfire… for people like me who earn day by day. » He sits under a tree waiting for his next order outside a housing society located in India’s second largest IT hub, Gurugram, a major satellite city of New Delhi.
He works 10 hours a day to make ends meet, earning around 600 rupees ($7.20) a day. Excessive heat is both a physical and mental challenge. “I get rashes, which makes walking painful, and my clothes smell very unpleasant, which makes me embarrassed in front of the customer,” says Shah. “Before I go to sleep, I pray that this heatwave ends soon, otherwise survival will be difficult.”
