‘A bar of soap, Rs 33 fuel grant not enough for seven ASHA workers’

Aparna Banerji

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Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 30

Fuel allowance of Rs33 per day and a bar of soap for seven Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) — district ASHA workers met the Civil Surgeon on Thursday with this and also shared other grouses a day after a 35-year-old ASHA worker fell unconscious while working in a Covid hotspot in Jalandhar.

Earlier threatening to strike work, ASHA workers have decided to go back on job on the condition that they would not be forced to work in faraway areas.

Members of ASHA Workers and Facilitators’ Union on Thursday declared they won’t work in any other area even if an emergency arises, unless they were first issued written instructions by the area medical officer and also paid an allowance of Rs100 per day for fuel.

After an assurance that their demands would be met, they shall be carrying out work as usual from Friday.

While there are 1,425 ASHA workers in the district, they have asked the Civil Surgeon to clear their dues and not pressurise them to go to areas that are far. Workers said their demands have been met.

Other demands made by workers included curfew passes for all ASHA workers, immediate provision of sanitisers, masks, soap, gloves etc.; release of previous pending incentives and assurance of future incentives on the 10th of every month.

None offered even a chair, says worker who fainted

Mamta Rani (35), who fainted on Wednesday while on Covid duty, is currently at her home. She said: “Such is the scare among people that when I fell unconscious yesterday, no one came to help. We toil all day for people, but even a chair wasn’t provided without request. I was laid in the middle of the road on the PPE kit that I was wearing. None of the residents could even find a sheet. Not only this, none of the doctors came to attend us at the hospital. However, some do-gooders provided some drinks, which my coworkers kept feeding me to help me revive. In that very condition, without treatment, fed on beverages, I was brought back home on a colleague’s Activa.”

Rani has a 12-year-old daughter and her husband back at home.

She said: “We are working by putting our children’s lives at risk. I am still not well, so I didn’t go out today. But I stand by the union and the demands they have made. Rs33 a day isn’t enough for a trip across the city. I live at Ladhewali, but spend nearly two hours a day to reach Basti Gujan even though my duty is formally at Lamma Pind.”

Union general secretary in Jalandhar, Amritpal Kaur said: “The Civil Surgeon heard us out and assured that the demands will be addressed. For deputation of work in any other area, we now require instructions in writing and Rs100 fuel allowance. If deputed at our areas, then we continue work as usual. We have also demanded proper equipment. One bar of soap is being provided to seven of us. The worker who fainted yesterday is still sick. But after she recuperates, we have also demanded that she be deputed at Lamma Pind now.”

The ASHA workers have previously met the Deputy Commissioner as well.