Karaikal People’s Struggle Committee holding black bags filled with uncollected garbage near Karaikal Municipality.
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

To protest against failure of garbage collections and clean sewage drains across the municipality, a protest was staged near the Karaikal municipality office on Wednesday, led by the Karaikal People’s Struggle Committee. With the threat of dengue looming as the rainy season approaches, activists expressed growing fears over the unsanitary conditions.

Protesters, holding black bags filled with uncollected garbage, demanded immediate action. The sanitary workers hired by the private contractor, appointed by the Puducherry government, have reportedly not been paid on time, leading to a manpower shortage. This has resulted in streets filled with garbage and clogged drains.

The demonstrators called for the cancellation of the contractor’s agreement and demanded that the Swachh Bharat Mission funds, allocated to Puducherry, be directly given to Karaikal’s local authorities for more effective waste management. They also urged the government to ensure that sanitation workers are paid promptly to avoid further disruptions in services.

The protest was led by Coordinators A.S.T. Ansari Babu and Pon. Panneerselvam, with support from various political parties and community groups, including the VCK, CPI, DMK, SDPI, AIADMK, and the Karaikal Development Committee.

Municipal officials assured the protesters that efforts to collect the garbage were already in full swing and that if the situation is not resolved within a month, necessary action will be taken against the responsible parties.