Police remove protesting conservancy workers in Chennai, shift them to marriage halls

In a late night operation on Wednesday (August 13, 2025), the police detained all the conservancy workers of the Greater Chennai Corporation, who have been staging a protest for the past 13 days demanding that privatisation of conservancy operations be dropped in two zones of the city. Nearly 400 police personnel, who were deployed from around 11.30 p.m. on Wednesday (August 13, 2025), began removing the conservancy workers.

Around 600 protesters, including advocates and members of the Communist parties, were removed from the pavement.

They were transported in as many as 15 buses to several private marriage halls near Kannappar Thidal, according to police. Many of the protesters fled the spot as soon as the operation began.

Earlier in the day, the workers said that their protest would continue till Chief Minister M.K. Stalin intervenes and resolves the standoff between them and the Corporation over the privatisation of solid waste management in the Royapuram and Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar Zones and their demand for job permanency. Their decision comes even after the Madras High Court, on Wednesday, ruled that the workers can protest only in authorised places.

In a letter sent to the Chief Minister on Wednesday (August 13, 2025), the Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam (UUI) requested urgent intervention on issues affecting sanitation workers in Royapuram and Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar Zones (V and VI), who have been protesting since August 1, 2025 against the privatisation of solid waste management and to seek job permanency. The letter stated that without a satisfactory response from the Chief Minister, the protest would continue.

The requests include immediate reinstatement of removed workers, payment of pending wages, regularisation of jobs for those under the National Urban Livelihood Mission, and implementation of government promises made to them from 2021. They sought permanent employment for 1,200 workers before September 30, 2025, statutory benefits, improved safety measures, and written assurances from the government on job security and the withdrawal of contract labour arrangements.

Balamma, a conservancy worker of Royapuram Zone (V), claimed that since 3 p.m., the Ripon Buildings premises was closed and women had to walk till the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to use public toilets. “ We will not move until job permanency is offered and privatisation is rolled back,” she added.

K. Bharathi of UUI said, “As the Opposition leader, Mr. Stalin had written to the then State government seeking to make the workers’ jobs permanent. The DMK also promised permanency and benefits in its poll manifesto in 2021. . The ongoing protest is to demand the fulfilment of these promises. Hence, the Chief Minister must address this.”

Mayor’s call to workers

Meanwhile, Mayor R. Priya asked the workers to join the private firm, Ramky Enviro, and begin conservancy work. She said both the GCC and the workers had approached the Madras High Court.

“Based on the High Court order, the protesting conservancy workers in front of Ripon Building have been asked to disperse and have been requested to join the private firm engaged for conservancy work in Royapuram and Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar Zones,” she said.

With privatisation, there is job security and additional benefits, with a safe and systematic work structure for the workers, she said. “Only after they join the firm, there will be contracts and certain paperwork, only after which salary situations can be determined,” she added.

Meanwhile, a total of 2,145.06 tonnes of waste was cleared from Royapuram Zone (V) and Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar Zone (VI) during a mass cleaning drive on August 11 and 12, according to data released by the GCC.