While political negotiations and alliance talks continue in air-conditioned rooms, sanitary workers employed by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), continue to work on the streets in soaring temperatures, hitting 38°C at noon.

The concerns raised by workers are not new. Similar issues relating to drinking water access, toilet facilities, food quality, and heat exposure had been highlighted by conservancy workers in 2024 and again in April 2025, with workers stating that little had changed despite repeated petitions to the GCC.

Perumal, 50, a sanitary worker in Teynampet of Urbaser Sumeet, a private company to which the Corporation outsourced solid waste management to in central and south regions, poured water on his face after completing the first few hours of his shift.

Under the scorching sun, he lifts heavy items such as mattresses and broken furniture that residents continue to leave near dustbins, despite the Chennai Corporation having a separate mechanism to collect bulk waste. “At the waste collection and transfer yard in Kotturpuram, there is a recently set-up dining hall at the transfer yard, which is shaded, so we no longer have to sit on dusty roads. There are no seating air-conditioned seating facilities like the one set up in Saidapet for gig workers. That would be a welcome addition in many localities,” he said.

“Pongal and mixed rice are provided to us in tiffin boxes from the GCC, but the quantity is not good and the food is not very good in the past few weeks, so I carry food from home. Water is supplied here through tanker lorries, but the containers appear rusted, so the quality is questionable. Sometimes, while on collection duty, residents offer us tea or buttermilk, which gives temporary relief. The GCC’s plan to distribute buttermilk has not started for us yet,” he said.

Meanwhile, S. Lakshmi, an National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) staff sanitary worker in Ambattur zone, said buttermilk distribution had begun there.

“The main issue is that many workers get exhausted often because of the heat. Officials ask those who feel unwell to return home, and then some of us are asked to cover the areas they could not complete. It becomes double work for the rest of us,” she claimed.

She further alleged that water supply remained inadequate. “There are only a few water cans kept at the zonal office, which run out quickly and are insufficient for nearly 200 workers in this area,” she added.

Another worker in a north Chennai locality, requesting anonymity, said that while officials and politicians travelled in air-conditioned vehicles and held discussions in cooled rooms, workers such as sanitary staff, traffic police personnel, and daily-wage construction workers were exposed to extreme heat, leading to blood pressure-related issues, especially among those aged above 50.

Thirumaleshwari, a sanitary worker in Royapuram zone, said she had visited a private hospital on Wednesday after her blood pressure increased due to prolonged work under the sun.

“This has been an issue for over five years. No matter what the weather is, we have to continue working. There is no other option for us,” she said.

Uncomfortable uniforms

Uncomfortable uniforms emerged as a common complaint among workers.

Mr. Perumal said the fabric of their uniforms restricted airflow. “It is very uncomfortable because no air passes through this material. A change in the fabric would help. The rubber gloves also make our palms sweat excessively, making it difficult to work, so many of us remove them,” he said.

K. Bharathi of the Left Trade Union Centre (LTUC) and the Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam (Workers’ Rights Movement), who led workers’ protests in August 2025, said the uniforms and accessories had been designed without consulting workers.

“The uniforms and accessories are designed without considering workers’ comfort. Even the caps and reflective vests are unsuitable for this heat and only increase discomfort by blocking airflow,” he said.

He added that demands to improve working conditions and revise shift timings, particularly avoiding work between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., would form part of a petition to be submitted to Chennai Corporation Mayor R. Priya and Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran by May 10.

“The primary demand will be job permanency. On May 20, a rally has been planned in Ambattur seeking job permanency for sanitary workers employed under the NULM,” he said.