TIRUCHY: The micro compost centre (MCC) on Panjakarai Road in Srirangam is functioning without electricity for over a month after wiring got damaged allegedly due to a short circuit during the recent rain. While officials of the city corporation and Tangedo squabble on who should fix the issue, workers are put to severe hardship.
The lack of power has cut water supply to the toilets as motors are not functioning and the biometric attendance system has also stopped working. “There is no water in the toilets, and we are forced to go outside. Most of the staff are women and it is very difficult for them.
Without power, even drinking water is unavailable,” said a sanitation worker at the centre. Workers say daily operations have been severely affected due to the lack of electricity. The biometric attendance system has also stopped functioning.
As an alternative, corporation officials have been taking photographs of workers to record attendance. “Without power, the biometric machine does not work. Instead, officials take our photos every day.
This is not a proper system and often creates confusion, especially regarding working hours and wage calculations. We are worried this may affect our attendance records and salaries,” another worker said. Adding to the woes, the sheds at the centre have been badly damaged, resulting in severe leakage during the rains.
Workers say rainwater enters work areas, making it difficult to segregate waste and increasing health risks. Workers said they raised the issue with senior officers, but no action has been taken yet. far. When contacted, a senior corporation official said,
“Due to a short circuit, the electric wires were damaged. We have informed TANGEDCO. We are waiting for them to fix it.” A TANGEDCO official told TNIE, “We have a new EB meter for this centre, but the corporation must first replace the damaged wires. Only after that we will install the meter.”