80 kilometres south of Chennai stands the Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) — one of two big nuclear power plants in Tamil Nadu  — and its affiliate organizations. These organizations employ around 15,000 permanent employees, who mostly live with their families in the Kalpakkam and Anupuram townships, located approximately 5 kms from the nuclear plant. The distance is said to mitigate health risks from radiation. But they are not the only human resources of the plant. More than 4000 workers, hundreds of them migrants to the state, are employed on a contract basis every year in construction, housekeeping, catering, hygiene…

Indian laws currently don't recognise gig workers either as organised or unorganised workers. While organised workers are protected by their agreements, unorganised workers like wage labourers, at least theoretically, can access some benefits under the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008. The exclusion of one of the most conspicuous types of workers today from both these categories seem to contribute to the invisibilisation of their work. In Part 1 of this series, we saw how platform workers in Hyderabad become more vulnerable during extreme rains and flash floods. In this part, we explore what protections are available to them under…