Undue delay in effecting revision of wages for contract workers at Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam has caused consternation among them.
The cleaning and maintenance of the temple, which is located on about five acres of land, was managed by staff members of the temple for several decades. According to sources, nine workers took care of the task. Considering the importance of improving the cleanliness of the temple premises, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) outsourced the cleaning work to a private player about six years ago.
The Padvamathi Hospitality and Facilities Management Service, which is maintains the premises, employs about 300 people and they work for eight hours in two shifts. Besides cleaning the premises and maintaining the lawn, the workers, mostly women, take care of Annadhana Koodam too. Their services are utilised to serve food to beneficiaries.
On an average, according to sources, they are paid ₹5,000 a month. Several of them have been employed for about six years. Many workers claim that they are paid poorly. Moreover, their wage has not been revised for so long.
“When I joined about six years ago, I was paid ₹4,000 a month. I was given a hike of ₹1,000 after about two years and it has not been revised since then,” says a woman worker.
“With the paltry wage, we find it extremely difficult to meet our family expenditure. However, we consider our service as service to Sri Ranganathaswamy, the presiding deity,” says another worker on condition of anonymity.
S. Marimuthu, Joint Commissioner of the HR&CE, who is the Executive Officer of the temple, told The Hindu that he would study the wage structure of the contract workers. The private firm, which was assigned the task of cleaning and maintenance, was asked to revise the wage structure. Moreover, the contract with the firm was over and fresh tender would shortly be called for cleaning and maintenance of the temple.
