Exhausted after working for hours with minimum breaks under the sweltering heat in Bengaluru and lack of potable water to drink, Shiv Kumari from Bihar is planning to move back to her village.
Ms. Kumari, who has two children, carries sand, cement, mud and other construction materials at building sites. She was pulled up constantly by the contractor as she was unable to meet their expectation due to the heat. Her children are also struggling under the heat, she said. She is now ready to let go of her earnings while her husband will continue working to feed the family.
“The managers are insensitive. They refuse to provide enough breaks. At the site, there is no potable water. The workers have to drink water supplied for construction. Due to water scarcity, on some days, we don’t have water at all. What should we do in this situation? I have decided to go back to my village in Bhagalpur district,” she said.
