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Councillors at the meeting complained that work on desilting storm-water drains in the city had been delayed as labourers were reluctant to work for the wages fixed by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC).
The GCC has fixed a wage amount of ₹540 per day for labourers who desilt the stormwater drains. However, labourers have demanded ₹800 per day, and have stopped working in most of the zones of Chennai Corporation, said Ward 104 councillor T.V. Shemmozhi.
“The machines will desilt 22 main roads in my ward. We rely on manual labourers to desilt most of the interior roads. Unless the wages are increased, we will not be able to prepare for the Northeast Monsoon,” he said.
Perungudi Zone Ward committee chairman S.V. Ravichandran stressed the need for expediting the desilting work.
Corporation Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran said the civic body would increase the wages of the labourers, and expedite the work on desilting storm-water drains.
It has also planned to mechanise desilting operations across the city.
Published – July 31, 2025 12:58 am IST
