Since the heat wave began, Sharukh has avoided taking orders from high-end restaurants and turned to small establishments that are “humane” to provide us with water and a place to rest while preparing orders. ”.
“After all, I’m not a machine that can work all day in this unbearable temperature”, he said boredly while waiting to receive the 7th order of his shift. Every day he usually brings home from 500 to 650 rupees (150,000 – 200,000 VND).
From March to May, about 25,000 suspected cases of heat stroke and 56 deaths occurred during a severe heat wave in India. According to the National Centers for Disease Control (NCDC), May was the worst month, with 46 heat-related deaths.
Reuters and The Hindu reported that the number of deaths related to the heat wave during that period could reach 80 or even 100. Last month, while delivering goods, Sharukh suffered severe pain and stomach cramps. Since then, he did not dare to eat much to keep his body light and drank lemonade from roadside stalls to stay hydrated.
“This year my health has been severely affected by the heat. After work, I feel exhausted and sometimes have severe headaches”, he said. Even when he got home, the heat didn’t go away because the area where he lived often had power outages, making it impossible for him to rest properly, making his health condition worse and worse. Sharukh said his mother insisted that he find another job, but that was not a viable option considering the high unemployment rate nationwide.
According to a 2024 report by Janpahal, a Delhi-based company, long working hours, pressure to meet delivery targets, carrying heavy loads, uncertain income and lack of social security as Health insurance negatively impacts the physical and mental health of self-employed workers.
Selomi Garnaik, a campaigner at Greenpeace India, explains: “Even though we all live in similar temperatures, the burden of heat is not uniform. Heat waves disproportionately impact people who work outdoors, forcing them to endure extreme temperatures and putting their health and safety at serious risk.”.
Govinda Shah wears sunglasses and wraps a cloth around his head for sun protection. (Photo: Al Jazeera)
Govinda Shah, 27, works for Zepto, a grocery delivery platform.The temperature in Delhi is like hellfire for people like me who eat every meal”. He works 10-hour shifts to make ends meet and earns about 600 rupees (about 180,000 VND) per day.
Excessive heat causes both physical and mental difficulties. Shah confided: “I had a rash, it was painful to walk, and my clothes smelled really bad, making me feel embarrassed in front of customers. Before going to bed, I pray that this heat wave will end soon, otherwise even survival will be difficult”.
Quartz (Source: Al Jazeera)