Crammed into MTC buses, sanitary workers go to duty
Srikkanth.D@timesgroup.com
Chennai:19.04.2020
They are among the frontline workers who are exposing themselves to the maximum threat in the fight against Covid-19 but the authorities’ neglect has forced the sanitary workers of the city corporation to be bundled up in MTC buses with no regard for physical distancing.
This has created unrest among the sanitary workers who find themselves in a tricky situation. “We have to work every day for our livelihood. There is no option,” said A Mithilan (name changed), a sanitary worker with the city corporation.
According to the Chennai corporation red flag union, 22,430 sanitary workers are deployed in the city currently. They include those taken on short contract for three months for Covid-19 work. Some of them are deployed for work at government hospitals.
When the lockdown was announced, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) had announced that they would be operating 200 special buses to transport government staff including sanitary workers for Covid-19-related work.
“They should either increase the number of buses or at least look at increasing the number of trips. At least 70 workers are crammed in a bus,” said P Srinivasalu, general secretary of the Chennai corporation red flag union.
Srinivasalu said some are forced to travel as a group in garbage collection vans too.
It is not clear whether other government staff on Covid-19 duty are made to travel like the Sanitary workers.
“We have flagged the issue with senior officials and zone level officers. The officials have promised immediate action,” said Srinivasalu.
Sanitary workers also requested the civic body to provide personal protective equipment to those workers who are deployed in sanitation works in the containment zones.
There are 84 streets barricaded in city limits as micro containment zones. “In some areas, we have been advised to make our own masks. That is fine but those working in other areas should be provided with full protective gears for work in the containment streets,” said a member of the red flag union.
A senior corporation official said the concerns of the sanitary workers are being looked into. “We have set up hand wash tubs at most localities for sanitary workers. Zonal officers have been instructed to address the issues immediately. We will be co-ordinating with the MTC for a solution,” said an official.
NEGLECTED: Sanitary workers are packed into an MTC bus on their way to work
Srikkanth.D@timesgroup.com
Chennai:19.04.2020
They are among the frontline workers who are exposing themselves to the maximum threat in the fight against Covid-19 but the authorities’ neglect has forced the sanitary workers of the city corporation to be bundled up in MTC buses with no regard for physical distancing.
This has created unrest among the sanitary workers who find themselves in a tricky situation. “We have to work every day for our livelihood. There is no option,” said A Mithilan (name changed), a sanitary worker with the city corporation.
According to the Chennai corporation red flag union, 22,430 sanitary workers are deployed in the city currently. They include those taken on short contract for three months for Covid-19 work. Some of them are deployed for work at government hospitals.
When the lockdown was announced, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) had announced that they would be operating 200 special buses to transport government staff including sanitary workers for Covid-19-related work.
“They should either increase the number of buses or at least look at increasing the number of trips. At least 70 workers are crammed in a bus,” said P Srinivasalu, general secretary of the Chennai corporation red flag union.
Srinivasalu said some are forced to travel as a group in garbage collection vans too.
It is not clear whether other government staff on Covid-19 duty are made to travel like the Sanitary workers.
“We have flagged the issue with senior officials and zone level officers. The officials have promised immediate action,” said Srinivasalu.
Sanitary workers also requested the civic body to provide personal protective equipment to those workers who are deployed in sanitation works in the containment zones.
There are 84 streets barricaded in city limits as micro containment zones. “In some areas, we have been advised to make our own masks. That is fine but those working in other areas should be provided with full protective gears for work in the containment streets,” said a member of the red flag union.
A senior corporation official said the concerns of the sanitary workers are being looked into. “We have set up hand wash tubs at most localities for sanitary workers. Zonal officers have been instructed to address the issues immediately. We will be co-ordinating with the MTC for a solution,” said an official.
NEGLECTED: Sanitary workers are packed into an MTC bus on their way to work
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