CHENNAI: Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam president Bharathi on Saturday strongly opposed the State government's proposal to involve private agencies in municipal solid waste management in 12 corporations, calling it the privatisation of a core civic service that would adversely affect thousands of cleanliness workers.
Questioning the decision, he urged the administration to instead focus on improving working conditions and regularising long-serving contract staff.
The Tamil Nadu government has initiated the process to bring solid waste collection and transportation services across 12 city municipal corporations under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
The Project Development Grant Fund (PDGF) has invited bids through Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Ltd. (TNUIFSL) for consultancy firms to prepare Detailed Feasibility Reports (DFRs) and provide transaction advisory services.
The initiative is split into three packages: the first covers Avadi, Hosur, Tambaram, and Vellore, the second includes Coimbatore, Erode, Salem, and Tirupur, and the third spans Madurai, Thoothukudi, Tiruchy, and Tirunelveli.
Bharathi, who spearheaded a long struggle of the Greater Chennai Corporation cleanliness workers against the privatisation of SWM in two zones, highlighted that cleanliness workers, largely from economically and socially disadvantaged communities, already face severe wage disparities, poor working conditions, and a lack of social security.
"Many corporations deny workers basic facilities such as safety equipment, drinking water, rest areas, and weekly holidays, while withholding statutory benefits like ESI and PF," Bharathi pointed out.
Also, contract workers face extreme job insecurity and benefit disruptions whenever private contracts change hands.
The UUI also demanded compensation for the families of cleanliness workers who reportedly died from heat-related causes while on duty. He called for reduced working hours during extreme heat waves and improved welfare measures.
Alleging bureaucratic discrimination against workers, Bharathi claimed authorities have consistently ignored representations on labour rights and demanded immediate, transparent consultations with workers' representatives before any final decision on outsourcing waste management services is finalised.