The Hindu 13.08.2010
Chennai Corporation to discuss regularisation of services of staff
Special Correspondent
| Matter relates to request by 221 persons working in public conveniences |
Bench directs the authorities to complete the exercise within eight weeks
Despite directions no payment has been made for the identified workers
CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation has submitted before the Madras High Court that the matter relating to the request by 221 persons working in public conveniences in Chennai to regularise their services will be placed before the next council meeting for approval and, later, forwarded to the government for confirmation.
In view of the submission by the corporation counsel, a Division Bench, comprising Justices Elipe Dharma Rao and K.K. Sasidharan, directed the authorities to complete the exercise within eight weeks and posted the writ petition for hearing after eight weeks.
The United Labour Federation had prayed for a direction to the authorities to regularise the services of workers with payment of wages for the period they were denied work.
According to the petitioner, maintenance of public conveniences was given to Sulabh International without a tender. The agreement was subsequently cancelled. Persons working in the facility were working without any protection and had not been paid their wages.
They filed a writ petition in 1999. By an order dated April 27, 2007, the High Court issued a series of directions. As they were not complied with, the federation filed another application and the High Court, on November 6, 2007 recorded the Chennai Corporation's proposal.
Notwithstanding the directions and the verification of the identified workers, no payment had been made for the identified workers.
The petitioner contended that the workers had not received their salary from May 2007 and were not being given any work. The only way to secure the wages, employment and dignity of the workers involved was by directing the Chennai Corporation to absorb them and regularise their services.
