Dozens of sanitation workers staged a sit-in protest at the Villupuram Municipal Office on June 18, demanding the immediate release of long-delayed welfare funds. The protest began around 11 a.m. and drew attention to alleged mismanagement and exploitation by officials.
Villupuram Municipality employs 97 permanent sanitation workers across its 42 wards. A portion of their salary is regularly deducted to fund welfare benefits, which are typically disbursed twice annually. However, workers say they haven’t received these funds in three years.
One protesting woman worker expressed anger, alleging that officials had misused ₹12 crore through an outsider named Vinith, who had no official role. “We’ve worked here for 20 years and never seen a single account. We don’t get gloves, slippers, or even soap. We are being treated like slaves,” she said. Workers also claimed that they had no access to Provident Fund (PF) records and were wrongfully accused of not working, with officials crediting only contract labourers.
The protestors submitted that repeated petitions to the municipality had gone unanswered, pushing them to take to the streets. Police from Villupuram West station arrived and facilitated talks between the workers and municipal officials.
Municipal Officer Sripriya addressed the group and promised to consult senior authorities and hasten the fund release. Following her assurance, the workers called off their protest and dispersed peacefully.