Chennai Workers Toil Amidst Festive Waste Surge

Conservancy workers in Chennai are experiencing significant strain due to increased waste generation during Tamil festival months. Despite the surge in mixed waste from temple festivities and public gatherings, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has not deployed additional workforce, relying solely on existing staff.

Workers report being compelled to extend their shifts beyond the standard eight hours without extra pay, particularly for tasks like clearing street waste and managing post-event cleanups. While some private events may see voluntary payments, many workers lack basic amenities like sufficient drinking water and adequate toilet facilities.

Urbaser Sumeet, a sanitation contractor, mentioned deploying additional personnel from within the ward for mass cleanups when waste levels exceed normal, and separately collecting firecracker waste. However, a GCC official confirmed no exclusive additional workforce would be assigned for festivities.

Further issues include battery-vehicle drivers allegedly bearing repair costs and undertaking duties beyond driving, contributing to increased workload. Unions advocate for making temporary workers permanent and adjusting staff deployment based on population, noting that household waste collection assignments have nearly doubled, impacting worker safety.