Gig workers in Delhi are facing declining earnings and health risks during peak summer heat. They report falling sick or seeing reduced income when pausing work on intense heatwave days. The Centre issued a heatwave advisory this week for organisations and states to adopt mitigation measures for workers.
Gig workers across platforms in Delhi are caught in a cycle of falling sick or facing reduced earnings during intense heatwave days as peak summer sets in. They report pausing work to cool down under shade, which sharply cuts their daily income.
A 20-year-old delivery executive, who started the gig a month ago after losing a clerical job in a private office, said, “On a normal day, earnings go up to ₹1,000-1,200. But on extremely hot days, when we have to reduce the number of orders and keep pausing to cool down under shade, earnings drop to ₹200-300.”
Even as the Centre issued a heatwave advisory this week urging organisations and states to adopt mitigation measures for workers and labourers, gig workers highlight persistent challenges with inadequate support and working conditions.
