Garbage removal suffered in Kumbakonam municipality on Wednesday morning, as daily wage labourers engaged for sanitary operations struck work demanding full pay.
Sources said the private contractor engaged 250 persons on daily wages to collect and transport garbage from the streets to the compost yard. He reportedly assured each of them ₹385 as daily wage, but failed to honour the commitment. Around 25 labourers, who demanded the promised wage, were shown the door recently.
Demanding that they be paid full wages, other workers stayed away from their duties and staged a demonstration in front of the contractor’s office on Wednesday.
Municipal Commissioner Lakshmi rushed to the venue and offered assurance that the issue would be sorted out in a day or two. Subsequently, the labourers withdrew their agitation and resumed sanitary operations in the town.
