MADURAI: The Madurai city corporation has decided to intensify night-cleaning operations to clear the accumulating waste across the city.
Garbage has been piling up on street corners as door-to-door waste collection has come to a halt amid an ongoing strike of sanitation workers.
The civic body’s intervention comes even as the private concessionaire handling solid waste management deployed additional workforce, but this has so far failed to break the deadlock on the ground, while workers’ representatives continue talks in Chennai.
Thousands of sanitation workers, drivers and other workers associated with the CITU, Tamil Nadu Sanitation Workers’ Progressive Union and the Labour Progressive Union of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi trade unions went on indefinite strike starting Monday (October 5).
Among the demands, the workers sought withdrawal of privatisation of the service, repeal of Government Orders 152 and 139, phased regularisation of workers who have completed more than two years of service and several other issues.
As the strike proceeded for the second consecutive day, sanitation work, especially door-to-door waste collection, was greatly affected in Madurai city. Sanitation workers remained in their houses and continued to stage protests for the second day.
City-based activist T Nageshwaran alleged that heaps of piled up garbage is found at several street corners across the city. “The sanitation workers announced the protest well in advance; a proper alternative should have been made to prevent such waste from piling up on the city roads.”
Several other residents and traders echoed similar concerns about the city’s improper waste collection.
An official from the private company Ourland stated that they have deputed an additional 1,200 sanitation workers, 120-140 drivers, and rented tractors/lorries from elsewhere to carry out sanitation work in the city.
“Though there is a shortage of workers, we have brought additional workers to address the sanitation work in the city. Though there are some lapses, we assure that the waste pile up will be cleared soon.”
Speaking to TNIE, Gavurav Kumar, the Corporation Commissioner, said, “We are planning to carry out an intensive night time clean-up on Tuesday to clear the waste piled up on the city roads. As additional workers have been lined up by the private company, sanitation works are to be carried out without any hindrance.”
He added that a team of officials also are taking part in the talks with the representatives of the protesters in Chennai.
