RTUI activists seek action against Chennai corporation for not providing shelters

Chennai: The death Thursday of the garbage truck driver has stoked a debate on the lack of shelters for Corporation workers - both regular and contract, besides those working on third-party contracts.

Senior Advocate Sudha Ramalingam blamed it on the contractor who had hired the driver for not providing shelters.

"Though they work in the garbage-sorting yard, they were deprived of a place to rest, which is inhuman. This was the only thing that led to the death.The total liability should be on the contractor who had failed to provide the necessary amenities," she said.  She added that the vicarious liability of the civic body would have to be examined as well.

Republican Trade Union of India(RTUI) office bearer R. Anbuvendan, who echoed the views of Sudha Ramalingam, observed that there were no rest rooms across the city for the Corporation workers.

"Not just that. The women workers who are the predominant section in conservancy work do not have rooms to change and toilets where they congregate for work", he said.

Meanwhile, officials of the Chennai corporation solid waste management department also conducted a preliminary inquiry into the accident. Ramky Enviro Engineers, who are the sub contractors engaged to transfer waste from the transfer station to the dump yard, were asked to give their explanation on the accident.

According to corporation sources, the deceased casual worker was working for a private contractor (MSK contractor) outsourced to move the garbage from transfer station to dump yard. Most of the workers entering transfer stations are drivers and they are not supposed to stay at the station where degradable and plastic wastes are segregated.

When contacted, a top corporation official said, "Legally the corporation does not have any provision to compensate the workers outsourced by its contractors. On the fateful night, the worker has taken shelter after lifting the hydraulic piston of garbage compactor vehicle, which is a serious safety violation. However, on humanitarian grounds we are holding talks with the private contractor to ensure that the deceased family is compensated for the loss.

An official said that the private contractor had also agreed to hold talks with the family of the deceased and that Ramky has submitted that they are in no way connected to the fatal incident.