Police arrested 438 protestors, including 420 contract labourers of Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO), when they attempted to lay a siege to the Office of the Superintending Engineer at Thiyagaraja Nagar in Palayamkottai on Wednesday to highlight their demands.
The protesters said TANGEDCO officials, after utilising the services of the contract labourers for extension works such as erection of new electric poles and cables, installation of new transformers etc., were sending reports to their higher-ups that contract labourers were not hired for execution of these works to show that they had adequate manpower for completing these works.
As this practice was denying the qualified contract labourers the opportunities of getting employment in the TANGEDCO in the existing vacancies, the officials should do away with this “anti-labourer” move. All extension works should be completed by hiring contract labourers.
Besides giving a daily wage of Rs.250 to the contract labourers, they should be given bonus and ex-gratia this year. All existing vacancies in the TANGEDCO should be filled up with the contract labourers on priority basis, the protestors said. The arrested were released in the evening.
Tuticorin
Similar protests were organised in front of the Office of Superintending Engineer, TANGEDCO, on Ettaiyapuram Highway in Tuticorin and also in front of Tuticorin Thermal Power Station.
