The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) recently instructed 29 sanitary workers and staff nurses from 13 understaffed Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs) to work at the homes of two senior IAS officers rather than perform their regular duties. The officers include a Principal Secretary, a former GCC Commissioner, and another senior official who has served in four state government departments.
The New Indian Express (TNIE) verified that at least one worker reported to the Principal Secretary’s residence in Anna Nagar, where workers and nurses were asked to provide care for an elderly woman. GCC officials prepared unsigned rosters for the staff, listing shifts until the end of October, which TNIE reviewed. A WhatsApp group was also created to coordinate the sanitary workers and staff nurses.
Several workers confirmed to TNIE that they had been instructed to care for the senior citizen, which involved bathing and washing clothes. However, they expressed concerns over safety, disapproval from family members, and extended hours, such as working from 8 PM to 8 AM. No additional pay was promised for this work.
Despite resistance from the staff, some were reportedly pressured to report for duty and were offered transportation. The absence of these workers from UPHCs, already short-staffed, would likely impact public health services.
Many workers were shocked by the assignment. One worker, a single woman, expressed fear over working overnight in an unfamiliar house, while others said performing personal duties at officers’ homes was not part of their job. Several also worried about how this would affect their family responsibilities.
When questioned, City Health Officer M Jagadeesan dismissed the rosters as unofficial due to the lack of signatures but later promised to investigate. Other senior GCC officials and the Principal Secretary did not respond to queries by news reporters, and Municipal Administration Minister KN Nehru, when contacted, declined to comment, citing illness.
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