ASHA workers intensify stir, demand better pay

Tribune News Service

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Panchkula, August 26

Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers today intensified their protest by “unsuccessfully” marching towards the Haryana Vidhan Sabha in Chandigarh when its session was underway.

Hundreds of protesters from four districts of the state were stopped by heavy police force while they were on their way from Yavnika Park in Sector 5 here to Chandigarh.

Sitting at the site, protesters under the banner of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) raised slogans against the government for not paying heed to their long-pending demands.

They even tried to break police barriers at the site. However, the police defeated their attempts. The traffic on the Chandigarh-Panchkula border was also affected throughout the day.

With the gathering of hundreds of protestors, social distancing norms went for a toss. ASHA workers had been on strike since August 7 in support of their demands, which include the government should treat them like its employees, minimum income of Rs24,000 per month, risk allowance of Rs4,000. Apart from this, the government should continue its incentive-based system and withdraw its decision of deducting money from activities being done by ASHA workers, proper personal equipment kits and implementation of insurance cover.

The workers union had given a call to intensify their protest and gherao Haryana Vidhan Sabha over state government not paying to their demands.

Vandana, the elected president of Asha Workers Union of Panchkula, said, “Our delegation had gone to meet higher authorities. We won’t leave the site until the deliberation reaches some conclusion.”