Members of the CITU staging demonstration against privatisation of collection and transportation of solid waste for Zone 5 and 6 of Greater Chennai Corporation at Ripon Buildings on Friday.
| Photo Credit: B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM
Councillors belonging to the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) walked out of the Greater Chennai Corporation Council meeting on Friday, opposing the move to hand over conservancy operations to private parties in more zones of the city.
Conservancy workers gathered in Ripon Buildings on Friday and demanded roll back of the decision. Already, conservancy operations in southern zones of Teynampet, Kodambakkam, Valasaravakkam, Alandur, Adyar, Perungudi and Sholinganallur zones are handled by Urbaser Sumeet. Ramky, another private operator, is handling the sanitation work in Tiruvottiyur, Manali and Madhavaram zones. operator, Ramky.
The Corporation has announced that private companies will start conservancy operations in Royapuram and Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar zones. Jayaraman, CPI(M) councillor from Ward No. 4, said the move to hand over conservancy operations to private parties will affect the livelihood of workers who belong to the Scheduled Castes.
“The private companies will focus on making profits from solid waste management in the city. But the workers belonging to the SC community will get low wages. The morale of the workers will be low, which in turn will affect waste collection, leading to civic issues in public health. The DMK government should implement the promises made in the election manifesto,” he said.
Mayor R. Priya said the decision to hand over waste management to private parties is based on a policy decision of the government. “The permanent workers in the zones will be redeployed. The temporary workers will be absorbed by the private conservancy operator. So, we will ensure that the livelihood of the workers is protected,” she said.
Councillors demanded an increase in the number of GCC workers in parks and playgrounds as the decision to permit corporates to adopt parks and playgrounds had not been successful in many wards.
T.V. Shemmozhi, councillor from Ward No. 104 in Anna Nagar, said there were no workers to maintain 20 parks and playgrounds. “We have five parks under private maintenance in our ward. There are no workers for watering the saplings planted recently. We have a gym, football ground and tennis court. But there is no maintenance. Many play equipment in parks have been damaged. Over 20 workers are needed for our parks and playgrounds in over ward,” he said.