The Tamil Nadu government has announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹5 lakh to the bereaved family, along with guaranteed employment for one family member at GCC.
Chennai – A sample of the dangerous conditions under which sanitation workers have to work in the city came to light recently. In a heart-wrenching incident, R. Varalakshmi, a 30-year-old conservancy worker of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), died of electrocution early Saturday morning in Kannagi Nagar. Varalakshmi lived in a rehabilitation colony in South Chennai, which mainly houses the Dalit community.
Varalakshmi, who is survived by her husband and two young children, was on her way to begin her morning cleaning duty when she accidentally stepped into stagnant rainwater that was covered by a broken electrical power cable.
The incident, which occurred amid heavy rains in parts of Tamil Nadu, has once again highlighted how waterlogging in low-lying areas like Kannagi Nagar, a slum area known for inadequate infrastructure and flood susceptibility, is marred by administrative negligence.
Eyewitnesses said a broken cable, possibly damaged by torrential rains, was carelessly left on the flooded road, killing a sanitation worker. Varalakshmi, who had been employed as a contracted sanitation worker for several years, collapsed after coming in contact with the live wire and was rushed to a nearby hospital where she was declared dead on arrival.
Local residents and activists attributed her death to administrative negligence, including lack of timely maintenance by the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) and GCC’s negligence in preventing recurring problems in flood-prone slums. The incident could have been avoided had Tangedco fulfilled its responsibility, a community organiser in Kannagi Nagar said. Following the incident, users on social media platforms have been expressing their outrage over the systemic neglect towards the safety of workers.
This is the fifth electric shock-related death in Chennai in the last seven weeks, four of which occurred during the recent rains, raising concerns over the city’s preparedness for monsoon challenges, said Dalit rights activist and author Shalin Maria Lawrence. Varalakshmi’s family has demanded accountability and compensation. The DMK-led Tamil Nadu government has announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹5 lakh to the bereaved family, as well as guaranteed employment for a family member at GCC.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin expressed condolences through a statement, directing officials to investigate the incident and expedite infrastructure improvements in vulnerable neighbourhoods. Critics from labour rights groups, however, argue that such reactive measures are inadequate, demanding mandatory safety equipment, mechanised cleaning tools and strict enforcement of protocols to protect sanitation workers who are mainly from marginalised Dalit communities. The GCC has launched an inquiry into the cable break, blaming it on weather conditions, but has not commented on wider safety lapses.
Geetha Sunil Pillai
Courtesy : Hindi News