CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to take appropriate action as per law against the sanitation workers of the Greater Chennai Corporation who are on a strike for the thirteenth day.
The workers are stressing the civic body to abandon its move to privatise conservancy work in two zones -- V and VI -- in the city.
The Bench, including Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice Sunder Mohan, passed the orders on a public interest litigation petition filed by D Thenmozhi.
Observing that the workers are indulging in the strike without any permission from the concerned government authorities, the Bench directed the state government to take appropriate action to remove the striking workers by observing restraint.
However, the Bench said the workers have the liberty to hold the strike at a designated venue for protests.
Additional Advocate General J Ravindran, representing the government, said the workers have to disperse peacefully as the government does not want a “confrontational situation”.
“The workers belong to the weaker section. The government does not want to create a confrontational situation. I make a request through the court, let them disperse peacefully, we don’t want to use force,” he said.
Informing that the workers are holding the strike without permission as the venue is not a 'designated protest venue', he said, “The government is in solidarity with the sanitation workers. We will take care of their welfare. We are with them.”
Senior counsel V Raghavachari, representing the petitioner, submitted that the workers are blocking the road and the pavement in front of the Rippon Building, causing traffic congestion and inconvenience to the public and motorists.
However, advocate Sankarasuppu, representing K Bharathi, who filed an implead petition, maintained that workers, being employees of the civic body, have the right to hold the protest in front of the Rippon Building and they can’t be denied such a democratic right.
He said that 13 rounds of talks were held with a minister and said the issue would be resolved in a day or two. He sought the court to grant time for filing a reply to the PIL and informed that an industrial dispute has also been raised by the workers' union- Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam, which has been spearheading the strike.
Meanswhile, following the court’s directive a senior GCC official told TNIE that they are planning to hold a peace talk with the union representatives of the protesting workers.
The talk would focus on suggesting over relocating their protest to one of the government-approved spots, mostly near Rajarathinam Stadium in Egmore.
"However, If they were not willing to shift their protest site, further action would be taken in accordance with the orders of the Madras High Court," the official added.
Soon after the court issued the directions, municipal administration and water supply minister K N Nehru, Hindu religious and charitable endowments minister P K Sekarbabu, GCC Mayor R Priya, Commissioner J Kumaragurubaran, and other officials gathered at the Ripon Building to hold discussions with the workers’ representatives.
(With inputs from Praveena S A)
