CHENNAI: Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam, a workers’ union representing conservancy workers, organised its general conference at Balaji Theatre in Otteri on Sunday, during which it urged the state government to fulfil its 2026 assembly election promise of regularising conservancy workers.
The union also demanded the government to expedite the construction of toilets and changing rooms in all Chennai Corporation wards. It further sought to replace the existing daily meal scheme with a food allowance, alleging that the quality of the food currently provided to workers is inadequate.
Among its other key demands were the provision of safety equipment for conservancy workers on par with those supplied to private contract workers, compensation for the families of workers who die while on duty, periodic medical check-ups, health insurance, occupational disease prevention measures, and housing facilities.
The union also called for a paid weekly holiday, menstrual leave for women conservancy workers, the allotment of office space for the union, and the complete mechanisation of sewage and solid waste handling to eliminate hazardous manual work.