Madras HC Orders Removal of Protesting Sanitation Workers
Court directs state to clear Ripon Building protest site, but allows workers to agitate at designated venues.
- The Madras High Court has ordered the removal of sanitation workers protesting outside the Ripon Building.
- The workers have been protesting for 13 days against the privatization of conservancy operations.
- The court’s decision was in response to a public interest litigation citing traffic disruptions.
GG News Bureau
Chennai, 13th Aug: The Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Tamil Nadu government to remove sanitation workers who have been protesting outside the Greater Chennai Corporation headquarters for the past 13 days. The workers are protesting against a move to privatize conservancy operations in two city zones.
A bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice Sunder Mohan issued the order while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by D. Thenmozhi, which sought enforcement of police notices served on the protesters to vacate the area. The petitioner argued that the sit-in had caused traffic disruptions and blocked pedestrian movement.
The government and the Greater Chennai Corporation told the court that the decision to privatize garbage collection was aimed at improving efficiency and addressing manpower shortages, adding that the plan had seen positive results in other zones.
Appearing for the sanitation workers, their counsel contended that the demonstration was within their rights and was not affecting the public. The court, after hearing all parties, ruled that occupying public footpaths without permission could not be allowed and ordered the state to clear the protest site. The bench, however, instructed police to act with restraint and clarified that the workers could continue their agitation at officially designated protest venues after obtaining due permission.
