11-08-2025
Chinmayi Sripada Visits Protest Site To Support Chennai Sanitation Workers' Job Demand
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Chinmayi Sripada backs Chennai sanitation workers' protest for permanent jobs and promised pay.
Playback singer and social activist Chinmayi Sripada has extended her support to Chennai's sanitation workers, who are staging a prolonged protest demanding permanent employment and salaries they allege were promised by the government. The protest, now into its second week, has drawn attention to the plight of workers, many of whom are single mothers and sole breadwinners, affected by the privatisation of waste management.
Chinmayi visited the protest location, bringing water and biscuits for the demonstrators. Speaking to the media, she said, 'They are only asking for the jobs they were promised. They deserve both the jobs and their salaries." She added, 'My intention is to amplify their voices and support them."
Workers demand permanent jobs and pay parity
The protesting sanitation staff have called for reinstatement as permanent employees and parity in pay with what they earned before the city's waste management system was handed over to private contractors. The privatisation, they say, has left many without stable employment or adequate compensation.
Government's response
In the face of mounting criticism over uncollected garbage in certain areas, the Tamil Nadu government has released videos of cleaning operations in Zone 5 (Thiruvika Nagar) and Zone 6 (Royapuram). Despite these efforts, the workers remain resolute in continuing their protest until their demands are met.
Chinmayi's advocacy for #MeToo
Chinmayi, a noted playback singer with a career spanning Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi films, has often used her platform to raise awareness about social issues. She came to the forefront of the #MeToo movement in India in 2018, alleging misconduct by lyricist Vairamuthu. In a recent development, veteran composer, director, and lyricist Gangai Amaran voiced his support for her, describing Vairamuthu as a 'not so good human being."
Career graph
Born on 10 September 1984, Chinmayi rose to prominence with her acclaimed song Oru Deivam Thantha Poovae from Mani Ratnam's Kannathil Muthamittal, composed by A. R. Rahman. In addition to her singing career, she has worked as a voice actress, composer, entrepreneur, and skincare business owner. She is the founder of Blue Elephant (a translation services company), Skinroute (formerly Isle of Skin), and the medi-spa Deep Skin Dialogues in Chennai and Hyderabad.
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