CHENNAI: Two days ago, Sangeetha*, a sanitary worker from Royapuram zone who has been living on her own with her two children since her husband abandoned her in 2016, narrowly escaped eviction after her house owner called the police over unpaid rent. She pleaded for time until the 20th of this month, and the police left without removing her. The relief was brief.
Since August 1, Sangeetha has been without work. She is among the hundreds of temporary sanitary workers hired through SHGs whose services were terminated by the Greater Chennai Corporation on July 31 after asking them to join Chennai Enviro Solutions Private Limited. The move, pushed through despite strong opposition from workers, has thrown many families into troubled waters.
Of the hundreds of workers who started protests in August, some have joined the private firm, after the Madras HC ordered that their wages should not be brought down. However, a large number of them are still fighting for GCC to employ them directly. On Saturday, the protest entered its 100th day.
Sangeetha had worked with the GCC from 2014. “We live in a rented house with Rs 7,000 monthly rent, but since being terminated, I can’t afford rent, or proper food for my kids. My son hasn’t attended school for two months, and my daughter had to abandon her nursing diploma dream. We are surviving on just fermented rice every day,” she said.
Sandhya*, another protesting worker, said she is the sole breadwinner of her family of six women. “Last month, we even struggled to afford sanitary pads. One packet costs Rs 50, and we need at least 10 packets, which was impossible to buy without a job. My daughter used the pads provided at her school,” she said.
“My eldest daughter’s college fee of Rs 1,800 was paid only by her friends this month,” she said. Since 2017, Sandhya had been working under GCC to support her three daughters, a niece, and her mother-in-law. “It’s been three months since we cooked a proper meal at home. Our monthly rent is also pending,” she added.
Meanwhile, the workers continued demonstration from their homes on Saturday, urging Chief Minister MK Stalin to intervene. With a court hearing coming up on Wednesday on the issue of whether they could continue protesting from home or not, workers said they would begin a hunger strike if permitted, and launch massive demonstrations if not. Police officials were also deployed in main locations across the city to prevent any demonstrations.
(* name changed)