Conservancy workers in Madurai clean rail coach toilets barehanded

MADURAI: Conservancy workers under contract in Madurai Railway Division made a shocking revelation that they were forced to clean train toilets with bare hands since contractors had not given them safety gear.
They presented video evidence during a review meeting conducted by National Commission for Safai Karamcharis chairman M Venkatesan at Railway Kalyana Mandapam on Monday evening.
As the meeting commenced, Venkatesan asked all the supervisors and managers of contract companies to leave the hall. He asked the workers to tell the problems they faced.
The workers narrated their ordeal that they were paid a very meagre salary. They said they were made to work the whole month without weekly offs.

The workers also complained that they were not aware of their provident fund and ESI benefits since the contractors had not explained to them anything. They don’t receive any payslips but are asked to sign the notebook once the salary is credited into their accounts.
There was a huge difference between the amount sanctioned by railways and contractors dispersed to the workers, they said.
Some women workers said they had not received any bonus amount for the last three years but were made to sign forged documents. They were terrified by the supervisors and the managers of contract companies if they escalated their problems to railway authorities.
As the meeting proceeded, Venkatesan asked if the woman employees had a mechanism to file complaints abouts harassments, including sexual harassment. The workers said they were not aware.
He held discussion with divisional railway manager P Ananth. He was informed that there was a women's cell in the division and all the helpline numbers would be displayed for them.
As the meeting proceeded, around four conservancy workers complained that they were forced to clean bio-toilets in train coaches barehanded since the contractors had not provided them with adequate safety gear.
The complaint caused quite a stir in the meeting as they produced video clippings of their work. The senior railway officials had tense moments and there was a long discussion between the chairman and the railway officials.
Even as the meeting was in process, a woman worker complained that her supervisor was threatening her over the phone.
The DRM promised that none of their jobs would be at stake for raising these complaints.
Addressing the reporters later, Venkatesan said that there would be an inquiry on these video clippings and a case would be filed against the contractor after verifying the videos. They were planning to serve a notice to the contract firm. The contract would be cancelled after a thorough investigation, he said.
“Any contractor who does not provide safety gear will be made to refund the money collected from railways for that purpose,” he said.
Venkatesan said that he had asked the division to conduct an awareness meeting for conservancy workers about the women's cell and the mechanism to redress harassment. All the complaints raised by the workers, including pay anomalies, would be taken up with the contractors and the railway authorities and would be redressed, he said.