Chennai Mayor R. Priya, on June 21, inaugurated the ‘New Life Special Camp’ for ragpickers at the Perungudi dump yard, distributing essential welfare benefits and inspecting multi-departmental support initiatives.
This comprehensive camp is part of the Greater Chennai Corporation’s ongoing efforts to integrate informal waste pickers into government welfare schemes. Following a successful pilot in Kodungaiyur last year, the Perungudi camp provided medical check-ups, safety equipment worth ₹5 lakhs from an NGO, and crucial identification documents, including medical insurance and TAHDCO IDs, to 200 ragpickers.
Earlier camps had already benefited over 300 individuals, connecting them with vital services from various departments, including revenue and social welfare. The initiative aims to provide secure livelihoods and access to healthcare for the approximately 162 families and 284 individuals involved in waste collection at the Perungudi site. Key officials, including Sholinganallur MLA S. Aravind Ramesh and Commissioner J. Kumara Gurubaran, IAS, were present.
