‘Ignored’ sanitation workers demand compensation

Sanitary workers who toiled day in and out after the floods have moved the Madras High Court seeking to be compensated adequately with at least Rs 1,650 per day in addition to their regular pay. 

Justice K Kalyanasundaram on hearing the plea issued a notice to the State Government returnable within two weeks. The Plea moved by Dr Ambedkar SC/ST Sanitary Workers Welfare Association, president R Anbuvendhan submitted that after the unprecedented rains on December 1, the State Government mobilised sanitation workers from across the state to clean up flood-hit Chennai. 

But when the question of payment came up neither a Government Order nor a press release was in place indicating the pay. However, the press reported that the Government had assured a sum of Rs 2,000 for permanent workers while Rs 300 was assured to be paid to daily workers. 

Pointing out that the sum assured for daily workers was grossly insufficient, Anbuvendhan claimed that the sanitation workers, who worked without any gloves or boots, were forced to toil for almost 12 hours a day.  He also noted that they were lodged in places that had no proper toilets or even drinking water. 

Moreover, the sanitation workers were transported in garbage trucks and not paid any daily allowance. Quoting the PD Salappa Committee Report which insisted that sanitation workers should be given only six hours of work at a stretch, he said that since these workers were asked to work for 12 hours a day, they should be paid a sum of Rs 900 per day as special allowance. 

This is merely double of what a sanitation worker gets per day. He also sought Rs 500 per day for these workers for the loss of his/her health and another Rs 250 per day as daily allowance. Anbuvendhan also submitted that there should be no discrimination between permanent workers and the daily wager earners since the nature of their job was similar.