Chennai: The Greater Chennai Corporation has appointed a transperson for flying drones used for spraying larvicide to control the mosquito menace in the corporation.
The corporation in its council meeting on Tuesday adopted a resolution to this effect. The appointment which is on a contract basis will be provided to E. Prem (19), a transperson from Vellore.
Corporation officials told IANS that seven drone operators are required for spraying the mosquito larvicide but presently the Corporation would be hiring two, including the transperson. However, in the days to come, the rest of the five will be hired and transpersons will be given preference for the same.
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Prem will start to work from July and will be paid a consolidated amount of Rs 25,000 as his monthly salary, corporation officials said.
The transperson was trained in flying drones at the Remote Pilot Training Organisation, Chennai operated by retired wing commander K.R. Srikanth.
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The retired wing commander has trained 15 transpersons in drone operating and has provided them jobs in various places after identifying them through NGOs that are working for the rights of transgender community.
Earlier, Ganga Nayak, a transwoman, won urban local body polls from Vellore in 2022. The 49-year-old transwoman was nominated by DMK. She also serves as the secretary of South India Transgender Association.
She was the only transperson to win a seat in urban local body polls 2022.