Cleanliness workers’ protest: Chennai police yet to grant permission, alleges LTUC

CHENNAI: The outfits representing the cleanliness workers who are protesting the privatisation of solid waste management in two Greater Chennai Corporation zones are yet to get permission to continue their protest, said their leaders.

The Left Trade Union Centre (LTUC) and Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam, who spearheaded the protest that ended with their eviction on August 13, are now preparing to move the Madras High Court seeking permission.

The workers were evicted after the court said the protest blocking the pavement was illegal because it affected the public, and directed them to get permission to hold stir in designated spots.

"In compliance with the court order, we sought permission to hold the protest at designated spots, including Allikulam and Rajarathnam Stadium. But the police are not ready to grant permission," said an LTUC functionary.

LTUC secretary K Suresh said that the union would continue the protest “at any cost”. “The protest will continue until GCC accepts the demands of cleanliness workers of Royapuram and Thiru Vi Ka Nagar zones, including considering them as NULM workers and giving up the privatisation move,” he added.

GCC handed over the solid waste management works at these two zones to a private firm. As a result, more than 1,900 cleanliness workers recruited under NULM are facing the threat of losing their jobs.

Challenging GCC's move, several hundred workers staged a protest in front of Ripon Building, which captured public and political parties’ attention each passing day. The 13-day-long agitation came to an end around midnight on August 13 when they were detained and removed from the spot after the High Court said it was illegal to hold protest on pavements affecting the general public.