TIRUCHY: Over 200 laundry workers living at Srirangam are not excited about the Tiruchy corporation's plan to construct a 'Dhobi Ghat', an exclusive washing arena for them.
The corporation recently sanctioned about Rs 56 lakh for constructing the facility at a vacant space behind the Science Park in Srirangam in order to enable the launderers to do their work without any hindrance during the rainy season. However, the laundry workers in Srirangam are of the view that it would not be of much help to them.
"There are over 200 laundry workers; if they have to work there, the corporation has to fix some schedule. It is impossible to come up with a schedule for all the laundry workers. Only a few people are likely to use that space. If the space is meant to let us carry on with work during the rainy season, where would we dry the washed clothes?" wondered Panchami, a laundry worker who has been in Srirangam for over 20 years.
"We usually hang the washed clothes on the banks of the Kollidam River. If we use the space coming up near Science Park, we have to travel almost 2 km with wet clothes to put them on the banks to get dried. Who is going to do it? ," said Rajagopal, another laundry worker.
He said that most of the laundry workers preferred to wash clothes in the Kollidam River water and leave them at its banks to dry them. "Many workers would benefit if the facility comes up on the Kollidam banks," he added.
When contacted, senior corporation officials assured to consider the issues raised by the launderers.
"We chose the location behind the Science Park for multiple reasons. If the building comes there, the wastewater can be sent to the nearby sewage treatment plant," a senior corporation official said.
The official spoke about the lack of vacant land for constructing a building close to the Kollidam bank.
"We know it is impossible to provide space for all the laundry workers in Srirangam. But the move was done to ensure a space for these workers in an eco-friendly manner, and those interested can use it. At present, the project is in the tendering stage, and we would consider these issues," the official added.