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Sanitary workers claim corporation planning to privatise waste management in two more zones

CHENNAI: Amid the ongoing protest by sanitary workers against the outsourcing of solid waste management operations in Royapuram and Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar zones recently handed over to Chennai Enviro Solutions Private Limited (Ramky Group) the Greater Chennai Corporation is now allegedly preparing to outsource operations in the Anna Nagar and Tondiarpet zones as well, according to K Bharathi, president of the Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam, which is spearheading the agitation. If these zones are also privatised, it will trigger a massive protest, he said, adding on November 24, sanitary workers from the Royapuram and Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar, along with their family, plan to return their voter ID cards to the government as a mark of protest. Addressing a press conference, Bharathi said although the corporation had earlier assured workers that Anna Nagar and Tondiarpet zones would not be privatised until the 2026 Assembly election, further progress in the tender process has created concern for more than 3,000 sanitary workers employed in these zones. He pointed out the demands of the protesting workers who had worked in Royapuram and Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar remained unresolved even after 114 days of protest, and despite four workers being on an indefinite hunger strike for the sixth consecutive day on Saturday following High Court approval on November 14. On Saturday, a few workers from Ambattur zone also expressed solidarity with the protesting sanitary workers by refusing to eat the breakfast provided under the free one-meal-a-day scheme, Bharathi said. Protesting workers from the Royapuram and Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar zones were also present at the press conference.