THE COST OF POLLUTION

As air quality in Delhi-NCR deteriorates every winter, the city braces itself for strict pollution-control measures under Graded Response Action Plan. This annual cycle, however, wreaks havoc on the livelihoods of construction workers. Prabhat Shukla takes a look at how these labourers face a winter of Uncertainty, struggling to feed their families and meet basic needs.

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NOVEMBER'S plunge in air quality to the "severe" category under the Air Quality Index (AQI) triggered a blanket ban on all non-essential construction work. This directive halted activities across hundreds of sites, leaving thousands of workers jobless. For these labourers, the bans are not just an inconvenience they represent a significant disruption to their already precarious existence.

Shambhu Kushwaha, a worker from Bihar, described how his family went without food for an entire day due to the sudden halt in work. "I used to earn roughly 500 rupees a day, but I haven't been able to find work for several weeks now. If this continues, I don't know how I will feed my family," he said. For daily earners like him, the loss of even a single day's wages can destabilize household finances.

Some workers have also sought alternative means of income. Jitendra, a welder from Madhya Pradesh, has begun washing utensils at a Dhaba to make ends meet. However, such options are limited and unreliable, leaving most labourers with no choice but to contemplate returning to their hometowns.

Desperation has led some workers to flout the ban, risking fines and legal action. In south Delhi's Kailash Colony, laborers continue working under the cover of temporary tin enclosures. A security guard at one such site revealed, "When authorities come, they pretend to be just staying here. They are taking the risk because they have no other option." Others, like Naresh Kumar from Uttar Pradesh, remain unaware of the restrictions altogether. Employed at a Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) construction site in Sarai Kale Khan, Kumar said, "Nobody told us to stop work. If they do, I'll have to go back home." Public sector projects like RRTS, deemed "essential services," are exempt from the ban, but their workers are still worried about the future.

DEMANDS FOR COMPENSATION