no choice but to smile and bear

A few minutes of direct sun exposure during summer afternoons is enough to repel those who are used to air-conditioned environments. The eyes get burnt, the skin gets scorched and the headache starts. But what about those who have to sunbathe day after day just for their livelihood?

For the RTC drivers, Krishna and Brahm say that the heat from the engine comes out along with the hot summer air coming from the window of the bus. “We feel the heat burning every part of the body. We feel thirsty even after drinking two to three bottles of water at a time.”

Traffic Constable KDM Pasha | Photo credit: Mohd. arif

KDM Pasha, a traffic constable in Sangareddy, reports for duty at 8 a.m. and remains on the road till 2 p.m. as he is in charge of controlling vehicular movement at the Inspection Bungalow, an important center of the city, during the summer heat. Heat is inevitable. Though some shade has been provided to the traffic police personnel, it is of no use as the roofs are covered with iron sheets.

Unfazed by the sweltering conditions, R Babu, a 35-year-old artisan in Karimnagar, works at a furnace to sharpen a crow. His mother, wife and other family members assist him by pouring charcoal into the furnace, while he operates the blower manually. “We are already experiencing higher-than-normal temperatures this summer and are prepared for potential health risks during extreme heat. The summer is taking a toll on our livelihood as hardly any farmer comes to our temporary workshop these days,” said Mr. Babu, his artisans’ families living in temporary homes and waiting for a roof over their heads for a long time. Were.

While working in Film Nagar, Hyderabad, welder O. Satyanarayan Goud. , photo credit: Nagra Gopal

O Satyanarayana Gaur, who works as a roadside welding worker in Hyderabad’s Film Nagar, burns at least once every day because of the frequent sparks that hit his body. “My body is full of scars. If welding work is to be perfect, we have to endure burns. I have to work on the side of the road, in the sun. it is inevitable. That’s why we are not afraid of heat. I don’t even turn on the small fan of my tin shed. If my body gets used to the fan it will be difficult to work in hot conditions. If I feel tired I take a tea break,” he says nonchalantly.

Young welder Mohammad Wasim on Collectorate Road in Nalgonda town says that the mercury is rising, but the work cannot be stopped. “Like the cost of raw material, the daily temperature is also increasing. But work orders cannot be postponed as rates fluctuate everyday like petrol and diesel. Whether it is sunshine or rain, life must go on,” says Wasim, who is also observing fasting as part of Ramzan.

“I had put up a shed in front of my workshop three months ago, but now it has been removed due to road widening. I am always working in the sun these days,” he says, adding that a chilled water plant located right next to his shop often tempts him, but he soon remembers his fast.

M. Krishnamurthy at his food stall in Banjara Hills. , photo credit: Nagra Gopal

M. Krishnamurthy, who works at a roadside food stall near Lotus Pond in Hyderabad’s Banjara Hills, works with his wok and ladle at 7.30 a.m. and stays until 3 p.m. Steam hits my face. I want to work with fire. I don’t even feel hungry until the end of cooking. But I can’t be angry about it. It’s all part of everything I do to support my family, for my living. Coconut water is expensive, so I sip buttermilk or reduce the water at regular intervals for relief,” he shares.

E. Babu has been making a living as a cobbler for almost three decades. He can be found along the road in Rasoolpura, Secunderabad. “I am used to working by road. If it gets too hot, I look for shade. After returning from work, the fan installed in the house did not help much. That’s why I take bath twice a day. This is the only way to beat the heat. My daily earnings range from ₹120 to ₹200,” he says.

(Additional reporting by B. Pradeep)