AIADMK workers arrested for removing garbage

CHENNAI: About 200 AIADMK workers, including an MLA, were on saturday arrested for trying to remove garbage in the city where a 'failure' in the disposal mechanism has resulted in piling up of waste materials at various places.

T Nagar MLA V P Kalairajan and 29 others were arrested at Triplicane while making an attempt to clear garbage, police said. However, he was released later.

About 176 workers, including women, were arrested from other parts of the city, they added.

Meanwhile, AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa has condemned the police action and criticised the state government for initiating arrests against party workers who took up the task of garbage disposal for the "welfare of the people".

She wondered how the Government, which is "unable to clear garbage in the city", can solve other problems of the public.

Heaps of garbage had piled up in the city since last week following the expiry of the contract with Onyx, which had been entrusted with waste disposal.

The new contractor, Columbia-based Neel Metal Panalca, is yet to swing into action.

The Chennai Corporation has also announced action against the new contractor