Chennai: Greater Chennai Corporation is building resting pods in its 200 wards for 10,000 sanitation workers to change and freshen up. The facilities are expected to be ready by the end of July.Announced in Jan, the pods are being set up at a cost of ₹30 crore. Each 300sqft facility will have a waiting hall, two toilets each for men and women and a bathroom. “The aim is to set up at least one resting pod in each ward. There were some delays in identifying suitable land,” said regional deputy commissioner (central) H R Kaushik. “Work is under way in many zones, and will be completed by this month end.”“Chennai has many sanitation workers. An accessible resting pod is a basic necessity,” said CPI’s Shanthi A R. “Many of them travel long distances to work, after which garbage odour sticks to their uniforms and bodies,” she said. “So, having a space like this will help them freshen up and change It is needed for their well-being and dignity.”Vembu Sarala, who lives near Nolambur, did sanitation work for 35 years. She said they had to sit on pavements to eat during short breaks. “We usually sat on pavements, even for tea. We could not sit inside those shops because of our equipment and strong odour emanating from it and our uniforms.” she said. Now, dining halls have been set up for sanitation workers at various locations. A hall, she said, can be divided into separate sections for men and women for privacy. Also, pods should be kept open round the clock, she said.“A first-aid kit should be made available inside the pod,” C Thiruvettai, state secretary of CITU, said. “A majority of sanitation workers are women, so, sanitary pad dispensers, dustbins and running water in toilets should be ensured,” he said. “The pod should also have enough fans and ACs, especially now, during a heatwave, ” he said. Last year, the corporation had built AC lounges for gig workers.
