CHENNAI: Hours before sanitation workers protesting outside Ripon Buildings were evicted on Wednesday night, the Madras High Court ordered the State government to remove them for occupying roads and pavements without permission.
The first bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice Sunder Mohan, disposing of a PIL by D Thenmozhi, held that while the workers’ right to peaceful protest cannot be denied, demonstrations must be held at designated venues with proper authorisation.
The workers have been on strike since August 1, opposing the civic body’s move to privatise sanitation works in two zones. The bench said authorities must consider any request from the workers for a permitted protest site.
The bench asked the police to exercise “all restraint” while removing the workers.
AAG J Ravindran, representing the government, said the workers have to disperse peacefully as the government does not want a “confrontational situation”.
Informing that the workers are holding the strike without permission as the venue is not a ‘designated protest venue’, he said, “The government is in solidarity with the sanitation workers. We will take care of their welfare. We are with them.”
Senior counsel V Raghavachari, for the petitioner, argued that the blockade outside Ripon Buildings was causing traffic congestion and public inconvenience.
However, advocate R Sankarasubbu, representing K Bharathi, president of the Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam which is spearheading the protest, maintained that the workers, as civic body employees, have the right to demonstrate outside their workplace.
Meanwhile, Justice K Surendar reserved orders on a separate petition by the Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam challenging the corporation’s decision to outsource sanitation work in the two zones.