Commercial LPG shortage in India: Zomato, Swiggy deliveries drop to 5-10 per day, gig workers fear unemployment as West Asia conflict rages on

The ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia have led to severe disruptions in global LPG supplies, causing a shortage of commercial cylinders. The crisis has led to the temporary closure of restaurants, dhabas, cloud kitchens, catering services, and street vendors, resulting in a 50-60% drop in food delivery orders on platforms like Zomato and Swiggy.

Also read: BT EXPLAINED: How the West Asia war has threatened India's energy security

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The Gig and Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) on Thursday, raised the alarm on the humanitarian crisis gripping delivery workers across India, warning that the ongoing situation could spiral into a larger disaster.

"Our members are starving," said Nirmal Gorana, spokesperson for GIPSWU. 

Gorana went on to highlight the personal struggles faced by gig workers, sharing the experience of a father of two from Delhi. “A gig worker from Delhi laments, ‘From 30 deliveries a day to 5-10, platforms now threaten to deactivate my ID,’” he said.

He further pointed out that ride-hailing drivers are losing restaurant runs and cloud kitchen workers are facing pink slips.

“This war-induced disaster is pushing us into unemployment and debt,” Gorana emphasized. He noted that nearly one crore workers are being affected, with gig and platform workers making up a significant portion of this group. “The present crisis is turning into disaster,” he concluded.

In an interview with Aaj Tak, Gorana stated that food delivery orders on platforms such as Zomato and Swiggy have reportedly dropped by around 50 to 60 percent.

He also expressed fears about the long-term impact on gig workers, adding that they fear that a situation like Covid-19 could happen with gig workers as the outlook further looks grim.

The GIPSWU is calling for immediate action from both the government and the platforms involved. With gig workers bearing the brunt of the crisis without any fixed pay or social security, the union is urging that platforms compensate and protect these workers from further hardships.

In a letter addressed to the Union Labour Minister, the GIPSWU has outlined a series of demands to address the crisis. These demands include 24*7 commercial LPG supply to food businesses.  Besides this, the Union has demanded that the likes of Zomato and Swiggy pay Rs 10,000 immediate relief per affected worker. The GIPSWU has also sought a 3-month moratorium on ID deactivations, along with a minimum daily incentive for gig workers and full gig worker coverage under the Code on Social Security, 2020.

 

 

 

 

"We appeal to the Hon'ble Labour Minister for a 48-hour emergency meeting with platforms and oil firms. Gig workers power India’s economy; neglect us at your peril. We hope the government and platforms will stand with workers in this humanitarian crisis," added Gorana.

With the crisis continuing to escalate, the GIPSWU emphasizes the urgent need for coordinated action to address the plight of gig workers nationwide.