Cleanliness workers detained during protests at multiple locations in Chennai

CHENNAI: Tension prevailed on Friday after police detained several cleanliness workers who staged protests at multiple locations, including the Marina beach near the Kalaignar Karunanidhi Memorial and outside the Secretariat.

Hundreds of women cleanliness workers first gathered near the Labour Statue on Kamarajar Salai at Marina to stage a protest. Police detained them and moved them from the spot.

Soon after, another group assembled near the Kalaignar Memorial and continued the demonstration. Around 12.30 pm, a third group protested in front of the Secretariat, with a large number of women sitting on the road and raising their demands.

Workers warned that protests would intensify citywide if their demands were not met. Before they were forcefully detained by the police outside the Secretariat.

Cleanliness workers have been holding a series of demonstrations since August, opposing the move to privatise conservancy operations and demanding regularisation of their jobs. Since August 1, they had protested in front of the Ripon Building for more than 10 days bringing State-wide attention. On August 13, around midnight, police detained them in large numbers. Following this, multiple protests were taken out and workers continued holding demonstrations at several locations and were detained each time.

With the protest crossing 100 days, some workers have also been on a relay hunger strike in Ambattur crossing for 20 days.