Detained Greater Chennai Corporation sanitary workers at Amma Mandapam in Velachery. (File photo) | Photo Credit: JOTHI RAMALINGAM B
The Greater Chennai City Police on Monday strongly opposed a plea by Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam (UUI) to permit Greater Chennai Corporation conservancy workers to sit on an indefinite protest near Rajarathinam Stadium in Egmore against outsourcing of conservancy work in zones V (Royapuram) and VI (Thiru.Vi.Ka. Nagar).
Appearing before Justice N. Sathish Kumar, Additional Advocate General J. Ravindran said, Justice K. Surender of the High Court had recently rejected UUIs challenge to the GCC resolutions for outsourcing conservancy work, and hence they could only go on appeal against that judgment, and not start protesting on the roads.
The AAG also sought time to file a detailed counter-affidavit against the plea to hold an indefinite protest. Accepting his request, the judge adjourned the hearing of the case to Thursday. During the course of the arguments, the judge also wondered how the petitioner organisation could seek permission for an indefinite protest.
Advocate B. Mohan, representing UUI treasurer R. Mohan, said, it was a matter of the livelihood of conservancy workers who had been serving the corporation for more than 10 years as temporary staff and had been frontline warriors during COVID-19. He said, they would lose opportunity of becoming permanent staff due to outsourcing.
Published - August 26, 2025 05:30 am IST
