Seeking compensation of ₹25 lakh to the family of a casual conservancy worker, who was reportedly injured while impounding stray cattle and later succumbed to his injuries in hospital, members of Centre for Indian Trade Unions staged a protest on the Corporation premises here on Tuesday.
The agitation was withdrawn after the officials agreed to give employment to the wife of the deceased on producing proper documents.
President of Tirunelveli District Rural Development and Local Administration Employees’ Association R. Mohan, who led the agitation, said that Marimuthu, 38, father of three children, including a 11-year-old boy, suffered grievous injury on the chest, after he was ‘forced’ to impound stray cattle on Saturday. He was admitted to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital where he succumbed to injuries.
“Besides giving ₹25 lakh as compensation to the family of the deceased, the State government should give employment to Marimuthu’s wife,” said Mr. Mohan. He said the Corporation, which had outsourced sanitary work, was utilising the services of 1,000 casual workers as its permanent strength of 200 was not sufficient to carry out cleaning operations across the city. Hence, the civic body should abolish outsourcing system by regularising the services of casual workers.
The Employees’ Provident Fund contribution being paid by conservancy workers should be properly paid to the EPFO with the equal contribution of the Corporation.
Even as the sanitary workers along with the CITU office-bearers were staging a wait-in protest at the portico of the administrative building and raising slogans to highlight their demands, Aathi Thamizhar Peravai district secretary Kalaikannan, along with four others entered the crowd and started raising slogans against the CITU. He accused the CITU of hoodwinking the sanitary workers.
However, the protestors, who disapproved his sloganeering, rushed towards him. As the police intervened immediately and took Mr. Kalaikannan and others towards the entrance of the Corporation premises, the tension subsided.
