Chennai, Nov 29 (IANS): After the rush of people with professional qualifications seeking sweeper jobs in Tamil Nadu Assembly Secretariat early this year, it is now the turn of Coimbatore Corporation to be flooded with applications from engineers and others for the post of sanitary worker.

The Coimbatore Corporation had called applications for 549 grade-I sanitary worker posts which had evoked response from about 7,000 applicants many of whom were qualified engineers, graduates and diploma holders.

Reacting to this development, DMK President M.K.Stalin condemning the state government said it shows the unemployment problem in the state.

He said many people in software companies are likely to lose their jobs in the coming days.

"Engineers, graduates applying for sanitary worker post signals the peak of unemployment in the state," Stalin said.

Early this year people with professional qualifications such as M.Tech, B.Tech and MBA, postgraduates, graduates as well as diploma holders were in the race to bag the work of sweepers and sanitary workers in the Tamil Nadu Assembly Secretariat.

The only qualification was that the aspiring candidates should be able-bodied. The minimum age limit was 18 years completed. The maximum age differed.

A total of 4,607 applications were received, including from the Employment Exchange.