CHENNAI: PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss came in support of protesting cleanliness workers attached to the Greater Chennai Corporation, who are on a stir against privatisation of conservancy works in Royapuram and ThiruViKa Nagar zones, urging the State government to heed the workers' demands.
"In 2021, as many as 700 workers were terminated when the conservancy works were given to private workers in several zones. The then Leader of Opposition, MK Stalin, wrote a letter to the civic body urging the civic body to provide them jobs as they belong to the Scheduled Castes. But, now the same Scheduled Caste workers are affected," he said.
Anbumani urged Chief Minister MK Stalin to reinstate the workers, apart from confirming their posts, if he was genuinely concerned about the welfare of scheduled caste workers.
In a statement, Anbumani said that due to the protest of permanent workers, garbage mounds are piling up on the streets. "Works to carry out conservancy workers in the two zones have been given to Delhi-based MSW Solutions Limited. Permanent workers have been transferred to the Ambattur zone, and temporary workers are terminated. The terminated workers are being forced to join the private firm," he added.
He explained that workers, who are directly employed by the civic body, were getting Rs. 21,000 per month and the private firm would give only Rs. 15,000 per month.