Misled into joining private firm at reduced pay, say sanitation workers

Despite HC order, appointment letters issued with pay of only ₹565/day and not ₹761 or ₹753

- PRAVEENA S A @Chennai

DESPITE the Madras High Court on August 20 directing the Greater Chennai Corporation to ensure that sanitary workers receive either the minimum wage of ₹761 per day or their last drawn wage of ₹753 per day—whichever is higher—Chennai Enviro Solutions Private Limited (CESPL), which recently took over waste management operations in the Royapuram and Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar zones, issued appointment letters on August 24 fixing their gross salary at a mere ₹16,950 a month (₹565 per day), before deductions such as PF, ESIC, etc.

Some of the appointment letters examined by TNIE were even found to be incomplete, with no mention of the salary amount. These letters contained only the employee's details and the official seal of CESPL, yet had been signed by the employees.

The workers, many of whom said that they could not read, signed the documents believing they were still being retained as temporary staff under the GCC for ₹23,000 salary per month, they said.

"It was only after reaching home and having the order read by our children that we realised we had been appointed under Chennai Enviro Solutions, and that too at a reduced salary," said Sangeetha*, a sanitary worker from Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar zone.