Asha workers stage protest, demand hike in monthly honorarium
Anantnag/Baramulla: Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers belonging hailing from different areas staged protest on Monday seeking hike in monthly honorarium, reports said.
They said that a large number of Asha workers staged a peaceful protest at the Eid Gah Jangalat Mandi Anantnag under the banner of the Jammu and Kashmir Asha Workers Union.
The workers were demanding an increase in salaries and a monthly wage during the Code-19 duty.
“Our demands have not been met despite repeated assurances from the government. It is hard to make ends meet at a monthly salary of 2,000 rupees. Therefore, the salary should be increased per month,” District President Anantnag, Asha Workers Union Dilshada Malik said.
She said that they are being completely ignored by the government, as, the administration announced a monthly wage for all frontline workers. However, Asha workers were ignored.
Despite risking their lives during Covid-19, they were left behind despite working side by side with the health workers and carrying out their responsibilities with keen interest. This is a total injustice, she added.
Meanwhile, scores of ASHA workers held a protest demonstration in Pattan area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district over inadequate salary and lack of Covid-19 related safety measures including PPE Kits.
Witnesses said that ASHA workers assembled at Pattan hospital and staged protest against higher authorities for failing to provide them with Covid-19 safety measures including PPE kits.
“We have been protesting for the last 10 days to demand hike in monthly honorariums and Covid-19 related safety measures but no one is paying any attention to our genuine demands,” a protesting ASHA worker said.
They alleged the government has completely neglected them even though they are at the forefront to fight the Covid-19 pandemic like other frontline Covid warriors.
They said that they are asked to meet Covid-19 positive patients and most of the contact tracing is being done by them, however, there are no adequate safety equipments available for them.
