MADURAI: Sanitary workers continued their strike for the second consecutive day and later in the day, they temporarily suspended the strike after holding peace talk with officials. The strike commenced on May 30 by the workers urging the government to address their charted 28 demands. With all sanitation workers on strike, as much as 1,500 tonnes of garbage produced in the city are left uncleaned, sources said.
The workers’ demands include a salary hike, and distribution of the Covid-19 relief fund, among several others. The workers associated with Madurai Corporation Employees Association (CITU), Tamil Nadu Sanitary Employees Progressive Association, and Sanitary Workers Development Union - VCK (LLF) started the indefinite strike on May 30.
On Tuesday, another peace meeting was conducted at the district Collectorate with the protesting sanitation workers. Balasubramanian, CITU general secretary of Madurai, said, “On the second day of our strike, the district Collector assured us to address our demands considering the welfare of the sanitation workers. We have asked for a written assurance from the officials, on the arrival of which we will decide whether or not to continue to indefinite strike.” Sources from the city corporation said on an average about 750 tonnes of garbage is produced from all 100 wards in the city per day. And because of the strike, all the garbage has been left uncleared across the city. Actions are taken towards cleaning the garbage in the city with available workers in areas like Old Ramanathapuram Road, sources added.
Rajeshwaran, a local resident, said, “Because of the sanitation workers’ strike, the garbage bins have not been cleared in major areas like south gate (Therkuvasal), Theppakulam, and several other areas. Apart from the foul stench, the piled up garbage on the roadsides have a hard time for the motorists to drive through.”
Meanwhile, environmentalists urged the city corporation to take action towards clearing the shattered garbage seen on the roads which have been creating a haphazard situation. Attempts to reach Madurai city corporation Mayor V Indirani for comments went in vain.