COIMBATORE : A section of sanitary labourers working for the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) in Kuniyamuthur area of Ward 88 in the South zone staged a protest on Wednesday after the sanitary supervisor allegedly sexually harassed some women workers.
Of the 30 workers deployed in the ward, 20 are women. The workers alleged that the supervisor of the private contractor had been using double-meaning words with the women workers for a long time.
The workers complained to officials, but they failed to take action. On Wednesday, a few workers boycotted work demanding action against the supervisor, and sanitary inspector (SI) .
Tamil Nadu Annal Ambedkar Sanitary Workers Welfare Association’s General Secretary, Tamil Nadu Selvam told TNIE, “Supervisor Udhayakumar passed comments with double-meaning at women workers which is strongly condemnable. This issue has been going on for a long time. When we complained about it to SI Dhanapal, he rebuked workers instead of taking action against the supervisor. We will submit a petition to corporation commissioner.”
Zonal sanitary officer (ZSO) denied the allegations and accused the workers of spreading misinformation against the officials.
Speaking to TNIE, South Zone Sanitary Officer MV Andiappan said, “The Commissioner has issued strict orders for all sanitary workers across the city to report to duty by 6.50 am and start their work 7 am every day. But workers in ward 88 were arriving by 7.30 am. Despite warning them, they didn’t show up on time. In order to divert their failure to report on time, they’re falsely accusing the officials who are being strict with the timings. They’ve been threatening the officials with such false accusations.”
The sanitary workers refuted the accusations and complained that the CCMC Commissioner has been transferring the sanitary and DBC workers after they filed complaints against officials.
Despite multiple attempts, CCMC Commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakaran didn’t respond to TNIE’s calls.