Tiruvallur: Denied wages for 2 years, MGNREGS workers stage protest at new bus stand work launch function
The event was held to lay the foundation stone for a new bus stand, estimated at Rs 45 lakh, funded through the constituency development scheme of Gummidipoondi MLA TJ Govindarajan.
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UTHUKOTTAI: Tension prevailed in Pennalurpettai near Uthukottai on Tuesday when a group of women raised demands for pending wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) during a public function.
The event was held to lay the foundation stone for a new bus stand, estimated at Rs 45 lakh, funded through the constituency development scheme of Gummidipoondi MLA TJ Govindarajan. The function was chaired by DMK Poondi North Union secretary Ponnusamy, with the MLA attending as the chief guest.
During the ceremony, a large number of women gathered and said they had been employed under the 100-day work scheme for tasks such as clearing weeds in irrigation canals and strengthening lake bunds. They alleged that officials had not paid wages to many workers for the past two years despite using their labour for such projects.
The protest created a brief commotion at the venue. The MLA later spoke to officials of the local development office and assured the workers that steps would be taken to clear the pending dues. Following this assurance, the women dispersed from the site.
