CHENNAI: The workers employed under Chennai Enviro Solutions Private Limited (CESPL), one of the contractors handling waste management for the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), have alleged they are often forced to pay monthly bribes, penalties for taking leave, and even “target shortfall charges” to supervisors. TNIE visited multiple wards under CESPL’s operation and found the allegations are not isolated to a single area.
Sangeetha (name changed), a sanitary worker and mother of two, is yet to find a way out of making these payments out of the Rs 18,000 salary every month. “Earlier, I worked in a ward near Ennore where supervisors forced me to pay Rs 1,000 every month. I refused, and within a short period I was transferred to another ward,” she alleged.
“Now, in the present ward, I pay nearly Rs 3,000 every month to my supervisor.” She said Rs 1,000 is collected in the name of “pacifying” independent engineers appointed by the corporation to inspect contractor’s waste management. The remaining amount, she claimed, is to ensure she is allowed to continue in the same work area.
“They say we fail to bring the mandated 400 kg of wet waste and 30 kg of plastic waste every day. Though we visit all households, meeting the target is impossible. But, citing the target shortfall, they demand money from us,” she said. Workers, who resist, she claimed, face threats of transfers to distant wards or additional workload. “One day, I informed a unit officer about the issue. Somehow the supervisor immediately came to know about it,” she said.
With an alcoholic husband and two school-going daughters, Sangeetha says survival itself has become difficult. “Rs 5,000 goes for house rent. Another Rs 5,000 goes to supervisors. What will I do with the remaining Rs 8,000 for my family?” she asked. A 45-year-old worker from Thiruvottiyur zone said, “When I worked under Urbaser Sumeet, I did not face such issues. But after shifting here, I’m forced to pay Rs 1,000 every month as soon as the salary comes.”
“We somehow manage to collect 200 kg wet waste per day but for the remaining 200 kg that we are unable to bring in, they ask us to pay Rs 140 as penalty on a weekly basis,” he said.
Another worker from Burma Nagar said, “If we take leave, the company already cuts salary for that day. But supervisors still ask us to pay Rs 300 extra per leave day,” she alleged.
The recent case involving Mariammal A (32), a sanitary worker from ward 11, has brought attention to the issue. Mariammal lodged a police complaint alleging she was beaten up by supervisors after refusing to pay money for taking leave.
“Already we pay Rs 2,000 every month to supervisors,” Mariammal said. “Last week, I took leave for four days after informing them. When I returned, they demanded Rs 1,000 more. When I questioned, an argument broke out, and they beat me up, and told me not to come for work.” Following protests on Monday, Mariammal said zonal officials later assured her she could resume work and that the supervisors involved would be removed from duty.
GCC Commissioner GS Sameeran told TNIE that an inquiry will be conducted. “Appropriate action will be taken based on workers’ feedback,” he said, adding, the police are investigating Mariammal’s case.
A CESPL official said he would look into the issue.
