<p>Hubballi: The recent deaths of two labourers employed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) have brought little change on the ground. Workers continue to toil under the scorching sun with hardly any shelter or adequate drinking water at worksites, despite government mandates during the heatwave period.</p>.<p>Labourers working in Yadgir, Raichur and Ballari told DH that they continue to work under harsh conditions as they have no alternative sources of income.</p>.<p>Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge and senior zilla panchayat officials conceded that, despite several measures the MGNREGS cardholders are facing severe hardship due to extreme weather conditions. Most parts of the Kalyana Karnataka region are recording temperatures exceeding 42 degrees Celsius and experiencing heatwave conditions.</p>.Pvt bus mows down 15-yr-old boy in Bengaluru, locals block road.<p>Virupamma, a work supervisor in Raichur district said hundreds of labourers are still working without basic facilities such as shelter or drinking water.</p>.<p>“In our jurisdiction, most village-level works are completed, so officials are allocating work at sites 10–15 km away from villages. There are no trees or sheds to provide shelter,” she said, adding that many workers complain of exhaustion and weakness but continue working.</p>.<p>She also pointed out that, unlike previous years when labourers could find work in paddy fields, they have not had that option for the past two months because officials decided not to release water from the Tungabhadra river due to repair work.</p>.<p>While the government has altered working hours - from 6 am to 10 am and from 2 pm onwards - several labourers said the guidelines are not being implemented effectively.</p>.<p><strong>Digital attendance</strong></p>.<p>Basavanthraj Gouda Kallur from Sindhanur said digital attendance requirements are creating additional challenges. “Unless we mark our digital attendance, our working hours are not counted. Many PDOs and officials do not arrive at worksites until 10 am, forcing us to wait without working,” he said, adding that some officials compel workers to continue working even after 10 am in extreme heat.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Yadgir Zilla Panchayat CEO Lavish Ordia said that complaints have been received against officials not visiting worksites on time. “We want to be as flexible as possible to help labourers complete work under MGNREGS. However, there are certain hurdles that need to be addressed,” he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Most labourers have enrolled under MGNREGS as it is their last resort for income during the lean agricultural season.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Speaking to <span class="italic">DH</span>, Minister Priyank Kharge said, “We have implemented early working hours for labourers. However, many PDOs are not visiting worksites on time, and we cannot force them to report early.” He added that instructions had been given to ensure the provision of shelter and drinking water at worksites.</p>
<p>Hubballi: The recent deaths of two labourers employed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) have brought little change on the ground. Workers continue to toil under the scorching sun with hardly any shelter or adequate drinking water at worksites, despite government mandates during the heatwave period.</p>.<p>Labourers working in Yadgir, Raichur and Ballari told DH that they continue to work under harsh conditions as they have no alternative sources of income.</p>.<p>Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge and senior zilla panchayat officials conceded that, despite several measures the MGNREGS cardholders are facing severe hardship due to extreme weather conditions. Most parts of the Kalyana Karnataka region are recording temperatures exceeding 42 degrees Celsius and experiencing heatwave conditions.</p>.Pvt bus mows down 15-yr-old boy in Bengaluru, locals block road.<p>Virupamma, a work supervisor in Raichur district said hundreds of labourers are still working without basic facilities such as shelter or drinking water.</p>.<p>“In our jurisdiction, most village-level works are completed, so officials are allocating work at sites 10–15 km away from villages. There are no trees or sheds to provide shelter,” she said, adding that many workers complain of exhaustion and weakness but continue working.</p>.<p>She also pointed out that, unlike previous years when labourers could find work in paddy fields, they have not had that option for the past two months because officials decided not to release water from the Tungabhadra river due to repair work.</p>.<p>While the government has altered working hours - from 6 am to 10 am and from 2 pm onwards - several labourers said the guidelines are not being implemented effectively.</p>.<p><strong>Digital attendance</strong></p>.<p>Basavanthraj Gouda Kallur from Sindhanur said digital attendance requirements are creating additional challenges. “Unless we mark our digital attendance, our working hours are not counted. Many PDOs and officials do not arrive at worksites until 10 am, forcing us to wait without working,” he said, adding that some officials compel workers to continue working even after 10 am in extreme heat.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Yadgir Zilla Panchayat CEO Lavish Ordia said that complaints have been received against officials not visiting worksites on time. “We want to be as flexible as possible to help labourers complete work under MGNREGS. However, there are certain hurdles that need to be addressed,” he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Most labourers have enrolled under MGNREGS as it is their last resort for income during the lean agricultural season.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Speaking to <span class="italic">DH</span>, Minister Priyank Kharge said, “We have implemented early working hours for labourers. However, many PDOs are not visiting worksites on time, and we cannot force them to report early.” He added that instructions had been given to ensure the provision of shelter and drinking water at worksites.</p>