TIRUNELVELI: Women autorickshaw drivers, who have been operating in Tirunelveli city for more than two decades, submitted a petition to the collector Dr R Sukumar during the weekly grievance redressal meeting on Monday, seeking an exclusive autorickshaw stand for women at the newly constructed bus stand.
The petitioners said they earn around Rs 400 a day and spend most of their working hours on the roads under the scorching sun or in the rain, as there is no designated stand for them in the city. "Even to use the restroom, we are forced to go to the new bus stand or return home," said one of the drivers.
They pointed out that the bus stand witnesses thousands of commuters daily, making it an ideal location for a women-only stand. "It will not only ensure our safety but also improve our livelihood. Currently, 17 women drive autos, and 20 more have been trained, but are unable to begin work due to the lack of space. We are not permitted to part at stands controlled by male drivers," the petitioners said. The collector assured that steps would be taken to look into their demand.
In another petition, a student of a government college in Tirunelveli district alleged that she was verbally abused by a female lecturer and that the college administration had failed to act on her repeated complaints. She also accused the lecturer of caste-based discrimination.
Separately, a trader, Balaji from Cheranmahadevi, along with his two differently-abled children, staged a protest near the collectorate, alleging that a police official demanded a Rs 20,000 bribe to settle a family dispute. He claimed that following a quarrel with his brother over ownership of a fruit shop, his brother filed a complaint, and during the inquiry, a police official sought money to "settle" the case in his favour and allegedly threatened to drive the family out of town if they refused.
Meanwhile, former syndicate members M. Ananda Krishnan, T. Manohara, and C. Radhakrishnan met the media at the collectorate, urging the Local Fund Audit Department of the State government to verify the appointments of five faculty members, which they claimed were made illegally.