India’s gig workers — delivery riders, cab drivers, couriers — are being pushed to the edge as the climate crisis unleashes unbearable heatwaves across the country. These workers, already trapped in a corporate-controlled model with no labour rights, are now fighting for survival on boiling roads. Extreme heat is not “natural”. It is a direct result of man-made climate change, aggravated by governments that prioritise platform-company profits over worker safety.
Down To Earth’s latest reporting exposes how riders spend 10–12 hours outside, often in 45–50°C conditions, with no mandatory rest breaks, no heat-safety protocols, no medical support, and no compensation. Many collapse on the job. Some die. But the companies continue to extract “efficiency” while the state looks away.
India cannot call this “development”. When millions of workers are forced to risk their lives under extreme weather, it becomes clear who benefits and who pays the price.
Source link:
https://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/riders-in-the-heat-indias-gig-workforce-at-boiling-point
