Circular revises daily wage of GCC sanitary staff to Rs 761
CHENNAI: The Solid Waste Management department of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) issued a circular on Friday directing a revision in the daily wage of sanitary workers across all 15 zones. As per the circular, GCC Commissioner J Kumaragurubaran has directed that the daily wage be increased from Rs 753 to Rs 761, subject to subsequent approval by the council. Regional deputy commissioners (North, South, and Central) and assistant commissioners of all zones have been instructed to calculate the additional financial burden arising from the revised wages based on the number of workers in each zone. They have also been asked to prepare separate financial assessments, obtain approval from the respective authority, and secure allocation of funds from the finance section. Earlier in September, Chennai Enviro Solutions Private Limited, the private firm contracted to manage solid waste operations in Royapuram and Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar zones, had assured workers of the revised wage of Rs 761 per day. However, the company had also indicated that workers may not be entitled to paid weekly offs. The circular did not make it clear what the conditions would be across other zones. According to the circular, the commissioners earlier order dated July 10, 2024, had fixed the daily wage at Rs 753 for temporary conservancy workers employed through Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under the solid waste management department from April 1, 2024, which is currently being disbursed. However, a letter from the labour commissioner to GCC, dated August 26, 2025, said the unskilled workers should be paid Rs 761 per day from April 1, 2025. This includes a basic wage of Rs 500 and a dearness allowance of Rs 261 for all SHG/NULM/NMR unskilled workers. The circular further states that under Government Order No. 62 (Department of Labour Welfare and Skill Development) dated October 11, 2017, the commissioner has ordered a monthly wage of Rs 19,780 and a daily wage of Rs 761 for unskilled workers from April 1, 2025. The revised monthly wage includes a minimum wage of Rs 13,000 and a dearness allowance of Rs 6,780, subject to councils subsequent approval. Meanwhile, hundreds of sanitary workers from the Royapuram and Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar zones were detained on Friday after they attempted to stage a rally from Kuralagam to the secretariat, demanding job regularisation and reinstatement under the GCC as of July 31. Over 200 conservancy workers from the Ambattur zone, who were staging a solidarity protest near the Ambattur Industrial Estate bus stand and demanding an increase in wages from Rs 753 to Rs 761, were also detained. Bharathi, president of the Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam, told TNIE the circular marks their victory, as it also cites that the move was based on the labour court case filed by the organisation.
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