In Tamil Nadu, the scorching heat is no barrier to establishing a living

One of the main forces behind India’s economic expansion, the construction industry is thought to contribute more than 10% of the GDP of the nation. The industry is propelled by more than 7 crore workers as well as investments.

Tuesday, when the state’s temperature reached its highest point of the summer, K Sekar was working at a construction site in Thingalur, Erode. He covered his head with a towel that dries out quickly in an effort to cool down. However, he said that missing work is not an option since it would reduce his daily pay.

He admitted that the heat causes the workers to tire out earlier. “We bring buttermilk and lemon juice from home and continue to consume them frequently, in addition to water, to maintain a high level of energy,” he said.

Mason R Ravi, 68, longs to spend quiet time in his house next to Pichavaram, a mangrove-filled area in the Cuddalore district. But he doesn’t often have the chance to go back to his own country. Since he was eighteen, he has been employed as a construction worker.

“I need to complete the apartment building I’m working on in Chennai on schedule. As a result, I am unable to miss work,” he said, adding that his daily salary is Rs 1,000. He questioned, “If I skip work now, what if I don’t get work later?”

48-year-old Kanniyakumari district laborer S Murugan claims he worked on Sundays as well. “Even in this summer, we work from 8 am to 6 pm,” he said. He also mentioned that he had to pay off a debt of Rs 2 lakh and fund the schooling of his two boys since he did not want them to labor in construction as he did. He chose to work in the construction business despite having a driver’s license since there is more employment there and a guaranteed daily salary of Rs 800.

In Tamil Nadu, migrant laborers from northern states make up a significant portion of the construction workforce. Bihar-born Govind Ram, 28, moved to Chennai three months ago. He is employed at the St. Thomas Mount construction site owned by CMRL. He resides at the site in a temporary camp with other workers.

“The summers are brutally hot, even in our village. Even though I’m acclimated to the heat, working here in the afternoons has become rather challenging. As a result, we now make an effort to stop in the afternoons and start again in the nights,” he said.

Odisha native Bharath, 32, has spent the last year working at a bridge building site in Kodungaiyur, north Chennai, away from his family.

“Working in the sun is challenging, but it’s the only job I get.” How should one proceed? He said, “I need to send money to my family. My wife and daughter, who is two years old, remain with my parents and brother in Odisha while I’m gone from home for months at a time.

A Madurai-based construction worker named P Jahir Hussian (56), said that working in the heat is made more difficult by inadequate safety precautions. It may sometimes endanger lives. On the other hand, he stated that the creation of the Tamil Nadu Construction Workers’ Welfare Board had been beneficial.

“The welfare board now provides compensation of Rs 5 lakh in the event that construction workers pass away while working at the site. He said, “On behalf of the CITU Construction Laborers Union, we will provide our members every kind of support in the event of an accident or a fatality.

Leaders send greetings on May Day.

Chennai: On the occasion of May Day, representatives of many political parties, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, the head of the opposition, and Chief Minister MK Stalin have expressed their best wishes to the laborers. Previous chief minister O Panneerselvam, president of the TNCC K Selvaperunthagai, state secretaries of the CPM and CPI, K Balakrishnan and R Mutharasan, general secretaries of the MDMK Vaiko and Thol Thirumavalavan of the VCK, and leaders of the PMK, Dr. S. Ramadoss and Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, also sent their best wishes.