On June 22, 2026 ,over 1,200 conservancy workers came out strongly against Tamil Nadu government's plan to privatise solid waste management services,and city felt impact almost immediately.
Workers gathered at Corporation office and started boycott,which disrupted routine waste collection across Erode . This was their direct response to Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited's (TNUIFSL) invitation for tenders to hire consultancy firms for collection and transportation of municipal solid waste under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model .
And their fear is very simple also . Right now,sanitation workers earn daily wage of ₹760 ,while drivers receive ₹792 per day . But they believe once private contractors enter,pay may fall to as low as ₹400 daily . For families depending on this income,that is not small thing ah.
Many workers have reportedly been doing these jobs for over decade . So from their side,this is not just about one tender or one order . It is about job security,wages and whether people who kept city clean for years will suddenly be pushed into uncertainty.
Few things standing out clearly in this protest:
- Immediate withdrawal demanded — Workers are calling for government to retract any orders related to privatisation.
- Protests expected to continue — Workers have vowed to maintain strike until their demands are met .
- City's waste management impacted — Strike has led to garbage accumulation,affecting residents across Erode.
And now public side of problem is also becoming serious . Erode spans 108 sq. km and has population of 6.45 lakh . With 1,69,913 households and 27,386 commercial establishments,city generates roughly 200 metric tonnes of municipal solid waste every day.
So when more than 1,200 workers stop work,garbage piling up is expected only . Several areas have already seen disruption in solid waste collection,and this naturally raises concerns about public health and sanitation,especially if strike continues for more days.
But tbh,workers are not sounding ready to back down rn . They are demanding that government rethink this approach to waste management and say community-driven solutions are needed to protect both sanitation services and livelihoods.
And this is where authorities and local leaders really need to talk before situation becomes worse for everyone . Because on one side workers fear losing income,on other side residents are dealing with garbage,and somewhere in between city is just waiting…
