Thanjavur: The Thanjavur district unit of the All India Democratic Women Association (AIDWA) has urged the state government to provide employment to ‘Thuimai Kaavalargal’ (civic workers) for 330 days as assured earlier. The AIDWA has also warned that it would organize a massive agitation if the government did not accede to its demand.

The Thuimai Kaavalargal were employed by each village panchayat in the district, with population of more than 10,000, to keep the villages clean. Their tasks include collecting the garbage door-to-door and segregate it under the solid waste management programme. They were employed on the assurance that they would be provided employment for a minimum of 300 days in a year.

With the Thuimai Kaavalargal having worked for 271 days, the respective village panchayat officials have denied employment for them stating that their services were no longer required, and that they would be paid wages for only 100 days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS).

The aggrieved Thuimai Kaavalargal, led by the AIDWA district secretary Tamilselvi, presented a petition to District Collector Annadurai today, requesting him that they should be given employment for 300 days, as assured earlier. She also warned that the AIDWA will organize a massive agitation if the workers were denied employment.