Conservancy workers observe fast opposing privatisation of solid waste management activities in Erode

Conservancy workers, who were on an indefinite strike for the sixth consecutive day opposing the Corporation’s move to privatise solid waste management activities, observed a fast, here on Wednesday. 

 Conservancy workers, who were on an indefinite strike for the sixth consecutive day opposing the Corporation’s move to privatise solid waste management activities, observed a fast, here on Wednesday. 

There are 1,69,913 households, 27,386 numbers of commercial establishments, three vegetable markets and two bus stands in which a total of 257 tonnes of municipal solid waste is generated everyday. The city’s current population is 6.45 lakh in all the 60 wards in four zones. 

The civic body had in May floated a tender to select a service provider/agency/contractor or a company for implementing the solid waste management by engaging adequate manpower and vehicles. Works include door-to-door collection of segregated waste, sweeping, cleaning and removal of waste in markets, transportation to designated locations and collection of hazardous waste and disposal. 

Currently, over 550 permanent workers and 1,200 temporary workers are engaged in these activities. But, trade unions claim that if the works are privatised, permanent posts of conservancy workers will be cancelled while over 500 workers and workers above 50 years will lose their job. They said that workers’ daily wages will also be reduced to ₹532 while the workload will triple and there will be no permanent workers in the Corporation. They were demanding cancellation of the tender, job regularisation for temporary workers and payment of minimum daily wage of ₹725 to workers on the first day of every month. 

They began their strike on June 23 that entered the sixth day on Wednesday. Corporation officials said that outsourcing the work is the decision of the State government and they are unable to take any decision on the issue. Hence, workers who are continuing their strike, observed a fast on the Old Railway Station Road.