A protest against the proposed privatisation of door-to-door garbage collection disrupted activity at the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) head office near Tank Bund on Friday, with sanitation workers warning that the change could threaten the livelihoods of thousands of families.
Swachh Auto Tipper (SAT) drivers and workers gathered at the civic body’s headquarters opposing the decision to hand over garbage collection to Re Sustainability Limited, formerly known as Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited. Women involved in garbage collection also joined the demonstration and demanded that the work continue under the existing system rather than being assigned to private firms.
The Telangana Swachh Auto Tipper and Rickshaw Workers’ Union said the proposed change could affect 50,000 families because many workers are the sole earners in their households. The union sought an assurance from the GHMC that the existing sanitation arrangement would not be discontinued without addressing the employment and livelihood concerns of the workers.
Tension rose when some protesters attempted to enter the GHMC chambers through the parking area, according to the report. Police intervened, and a scuffle followed. Kathravath Gopal Naik, the GHMC president of the union, lost consciousness during the confrontation and was taken to NIMS Hospital for treatment.
The dispute places Hyderabad’s garbage collection system at the intersection of municipal service delivery and informal or semi-formal urban employment. Door-to-door collection depends on a large workforce operating close to households, making any change in contracting arrangements consequential not only for workers but also for the continuity of daily sanitation services across neighbourhoods.
Before the protest, Gopal Naik had called on the government to withdraw its proposal and continue sanitation work through the existing system. He also claimed that 10 workers had died in the previous month due to mental distress and that four others were undergoing treatment. These claims were made by the union leader and were reported in connection with the protest; the report did not provide an independent official confirmation of the figures.
The workers’ immediate demands are for the proposed privatisation to be withdrawn and for the GHMC to provide clarity on the future of the existing SAT workforce. The protest also raises questions about how municipal authorities will manage the transition, if implemented, and what employment protections will apply to workers currently involved in household-level garbage collection.
The report did not specify the final implementation schedule for the proposed arrangement or detail the GHMC’s response to the workers’ demands. Further developments will depend on the civic body’s position on the proposal and any assurances offered to the protesting sanitation workers.
