CHENNAI: The conservancy workers, who have been on strike against the Greater Chennai Corporation’s (GCC) decision to outsource conservancy work in two zones, have filed a petition in the Madras High Court seeking orders to restrain the authorities concerned from going ahead with the decision of outsourcing.
The petition has been filed by advocate K Bharathi, president of Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam. When it came up for hearing before Justice K Surendhar on Monday, Advocate General P S Raman submitted that the counter affidavit to the petition was ready and sought time for filing it.
Counsel for the petitioner told the court that about 2,000 workers have been holding protests for the last 10 days in this regard and the civic body is not bothered about their plight. The judge ordered notice to the authorities concerned and adjourned the hearing to Wednesday.
The petitioner noted that the GCC, by its resolution dated June 16, 2025, stated that the sanitation work in zones V and VI will be outsourced to Delhi MSW Solutions for an initial quote of Rs 276 crore. This is an unjust and illegal decision in the teeth of the high court’s orders. He said that 2,042 workers in these two zones would be transferred from the control of the GCC to the private agency and 1,953 contract workers face the risk of retrenchment.
The petitioner stated that the GCC’s transfer of the services to a contractor without consent from the union when it (union) was very much opposed to it, and transferring the workers from the GCC to another employer would amount to retrenchment which is contrary to Section 25 N of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.
The decision to put an end to the services of the employees runs contrary to the Supreme Court order in FCI case. Stating that the balance of convenience lies in favour of the sanitary workers, he prayed for the court to issue an ad interim injunction against the respondent authorities from outsourcing the services of NULM/SHG temporary workers. The protest by sanitary workers of the Royapuram and Thiru Vi Ka Nagar zones near Ripon buildings against privatisation entered the 11th day on Monday.
Mass cleaning drive
Chennai: The GCC launched a mass cleaning drive in Royapuram and Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar zones on Monday night, deploying about 1,000 additional sanitary workers along with adequate vehicles and equipment. The initiative follows several days of uncleared garbage dumped in streets and residential areas due to the ongoing protest of sanitary workers against privatisation.