The eight Community Organisers (COs) staging an indefinite hunger strike in front of the Corporation office here for almost a month are suffering from severe health issues caused by sleeplessness and lack of food.
A few days ago, one of the protesters was admitted to the Beach General Hospital as she suffered from chest pain and low pressure. On Sunday, another collapsed at the protest site owing to low pressure, and later started talking incoherently. It was on August 16 that the COs went on strike demanding a decent pay and permanence in their job. They have been working since 1999 for a paltry honorarium of Rs.1,500. s the strike did not earn results initially, they went on a hunger strike since August 28 and have been taking turns starving for a continuous 24 hours.
The Community Organisers have been appointed under the Urban Poverty Alleviation Programme and are in charge of creating awareness among Kudumbasree workers on various schemes. The strike is being organised under the aegis of the Asanghatitha Meghala Thozhilali Union (AMTU). Twice since the strike started, the Mayor invited the Union leaders for talks, but nothing fruitful came out of it. “On the day before Onam, the Mayor offered us Rs.4,000 as salary. It is way below what we deserve. Unofficial talks are going on among councillors, but there is nothing concrete. If there is no decision on the issue in the next council meeting, I am going on a hunger strike until death”, said P. Viji, AMTU secretary.
