Caring for the delivery boys

HOUSEHOLDS EQUATE them with Robinson Crusoe's Man Friday for they keep the fire burning, literally. Yet, they remain the unsung heroes of modern kitchens, sagging under the gross weight of around 30 kgs including 14.2 kg of the inflammable product on their back. Yes, the subject of discussion is the cooking gas delivery boys, calling many of whom like that itself is a misnomer as their youth has been spent on supplying the domestic fuel. Berated by householders at delay in supplying the product, their side of the story is heart-rending.

Rain or shine, the job for them has been cut-out straight from day one of their entry. While the restriction on their entry beyond the drawing room of a house is well-known, not many are aware of the regulation in apartments forbidding them to use the lift. Their plight, however, has not gone unnoticed among the stakeholders in the oil industry, be it the marketing companies or the distributors, who are devising measures to make them feel comfortable under the circumstances.

Besides paying them decent wages, many of the distributors also pay the school fees of the delivery staff's children, to meet their medical expenses and have taken insurance policies for them.

In tune with this approach, a few distributors attached to the Indane Area Office in Chennai recently organised a health camp for their office and delivery staff. More than 300 staff benefited from the exercise. According to Mr.A.Eswaran, the Indane Area Manager, ``this is only the beginning and camps of such nature will continue''.

Says 38-year old Mr.N.S.K.Somasundaram, a delivery `boy' with 15 years' experience who participated in the camp, ``it was a nice feeling to get our vital health parameters checked''.

But, not all delivery staff are conscientious as is evident from complaints galore about diversion of product to commercial establishments, rough behaviour and over-charging.

Their sway, according to insiders, is total at a few distributorship. Ultimately, as a distributor points out, ``everything depends on how you treat them''.

By N.Ravi Kumar

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Section  : Features
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