Nearly 1K sanitary workers released in Chennai

CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Police since Thursday late afternoon released nearly 1,000 conservancy workers, a few lawyers and activists, who were forcefully evicted from near Ripon Building where the workers had been protesting since August 1 against privatisation of solid waste management in two zones of Greater Chennai Corporation. They were detained in multiple places marriage halls and community halls in Keezhkattalai, Nandambakkam, Adambakkam, Saidapet, Velachery, Maduvankarai, St Thomas Mount, Thiruvanmiyur, Royapettah, Alandur and Injambakkam.Tension prevailed in all the places with over 20 police personnel deployed in each location, where the media or the public were denied access to the halls or interact with the detained workers. TNIE visited three of these sites. K Bharathi, the president of Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam, which led the protest, had earlier on Thursday told TNIE, We have informed the police on Thursday morning of our willingness to shift the protest to a government-approved site as per the court order, but there has been no response yet. Even when we go to the restrooms upstairs, police follow and wait outside. They have also photographed all detained workers. Responding to the six welfare schemes announced by the government for sanitary workers on Thursday, Bharathi said while the new measures are welcome, the least the workers expect is for the chief minister to directly engage with them and fulfil the DMKs earlier promise of job regularisation. Police officials said that the workers were being provided with proper food and other amenities. Meanwhile, when cadres of a few political parties gathered in some of the places, including near Keezhkattalai and Saidapet, to deliver water and food to the detenues, they were denied entry. Heavy traffic was observed near the marriage hall in Keezhkattalai as political cadres and advocates gathered on to the roads. The released sanitary workers were dropped off in batches at various locations across the city, to find their way back home, said sources. The city police did not officially say whether any cases were filed against the protesters. However, when a case about the detention came up for hearing at the Madras High Court, the government mentioned that at least seven cases had been registered for rioting and damaging public property.