Women workers stage protest, block arterial Tamil Nadu highway

Chennai: A large number of women workers of a leading company near here resorted to a flash protest as food poisoning hit over a 100 of them after eating at a facility run allegedly by their firm and amid rumours that 'some' were dead. Demanding that the company come up with 'truth,' they blocked the busy Chennai-Bengaluru highway leading to severe traffic congestion on Saturday with vehicles including cargo trucks getting stranded.

The protest by workers of the firm, that assembles and manufactures smart phone and electronic spares and headquartered abroad, began late Friday night and continued for about 12 hours till it was called off following intervention by authorities. The demonstration also spilled over to two other locations, affecting traffic on the Chennai-Tirupati route as well for sometime.

The background to the workers' protest is a fallout of food poisoning, that affected workers staying in a company provided accommodation at suburban Vellavedu in Tiruvallur District. Police said employees reported vomiting and diarrhoea after they consumed food provided at the 'hostel' canteen and 132 of them were affected and had to be treated. Except four people, who continue to be treated at a hospital all others have been discharged. An FIR has been filed in connection with the food poisoning and a probe is on, an official said.

The Vellavedu 'hostel' could accommodate a 'large number' of people, authorities said adding inspections were held following the incident. It could not be immediately ascertained if the facility was being run by complying with all norms stipulated for accommodating workers and ensuring food safety. As 'misinformation' and 'suspicions' spread among employees and in the wake of rumours that at least two of the affected workers were dead, they resorted to protest, police added.

The workers blocked the Chennai-Bengaluru highway off Sunguvarchatiram and authorities including police officials arrived at the spot while the number of protesters swelled. Kancheepuram district collector M Aarthi and police superintendent M Sudhakar held talks with agitators and assured them that workers are safe following which the protest was called off.

Standing amid protesting workers, Aarthi made video calls to women employees suspected to be seriously affected and requested the protesters to directly speak to their colleagues. She reassured the protesters that all are safe and healthy. The district collector told reporters that a panel would be formed for better monitoring and inspections of facilities used by workers. The company is yet to comment on the matter and it could not be immediately ascertained if the protest had any impact on the firm's routine activities. In view of the protest, vehicles were stranded on the highway in Kancheepuram district for at least 12 hours.