Even as 9,694 conservancy workers from 126 local bodies are pegging away at clearing a daunting amount of garbage, rising absenteeism among Chennai Corporation workforce has come as a setback.
“Over 50 per cent of the workers were absent on Friday,” said a conservancy official in a ward.
With workers from other districts set to return home this weekend, the Corporation is exploring alternatives to clearing the waste.
The Corporation is planning to start conservancy operations with the help of 3,000 volunteers from December 12. “We want more volunteers. Any group of 50 volunteers are requested to contact zonal officers or the Corporation helpline 1913,” said R. Kannan, Deputy Commissioner (Health). Many volunteers have been trying to assist the Corporation, calling officials concerned on the phone. But officials failed to use their services due to lack of coordination.
“A large number of residents who are returning home are dumping damaged material on the road. We are unable to keep the roads clean. We expected the work to be completed this week. It may take another ten days to clean all the flood-affected areas,” said Padmini Sundaram, Corporation Councillor in West Mambalam.
The municipal body has managed to collect just 38,495 tonnes of municipal solid waste from 15 zones after the floodwaters receded. It is expected to clear at least one lakh tonnes of garbage.
Ward-level officials said the conservancy workers from various parts of the State, who are at present here, were not receiving any incentive for the work. On Friday, many of them started returning home. Corporation officials have their fingers crossed about a new set of workers from other municipalities who are set to arrive at the earliest. Many of the wards also have severe shortage of road thozhilalis (road workers) and ‘malaria workers’. A number of compactor drivers have also not turned up for work after the floods.
