ASHA Workers’ Protest In Haldwani

Uttarakhand ASHA Health Workers’ Union affiliated to AICCTU held a vociferous protest in Haldwani as part of a state-wide programme and burnt the effigy of the Central government. The ASHA workers are paid a monthly honorarium in 9 States in the country, but in Uttarakhand they do not get any monthly wages or honorarium. The Central government must implement an equal policy for ASHA workers across the country. Uttarakhand ASHA workers under the leadership of the ASHA Health Workers’ Union have been boycotting work since 11 July 2016 but the government has so far been deaf to their demands. Additionally, the ASHA workers in Uttarakhand have been burdened with a large number of tasks and duties such as reduction in mother-infant mortality rate, pulse polio campaign, family welfare, malaria survey, ORS distribution, keeping vigilance on violence against women, Mukhyamantri Health Insurance Scheme, disaster training etc. The following demands were made during the protest:

1. ASHA workers should be given the status of “worker” and all ASHA workers across the country should be paid an equal minimum wage of Rs 18000 per month as per the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission. Till such time as this is done, they should be paid minimum wages as per the recommendations of the 45th Labour Conference.

2. ASHA workers should be regularized and given the status of State government employees.

3. The fund cuts made by the Central government in the budget for the National Health Mission should be revoked.

During the protest, the police tried to forcibly stop the ASHA workers from burning the effigy and tried to remove them from the road in front of the Women’s Hospital, causing a sharp confrontation between the City Magistrate and police and the workers. After the effigy burning and rally in front of the Women’s Hospital, the police registered a case against Com. Kailash Pandey and 11 ASHA workers for blocking the Highway. On the same day, the BJP had also staged a rally and effigy burning, during which there was a blockage for about 25 minutes in front of the Deputy Collector’s office; whereas, the effigy burning by the ASHA workers took place in front of the Women’s Hospital, and the blockage lasted for a much shorter period. However, in the eyes of the police and the administration the ASHA workers’ protest and blockage was sufficient grounds for registering a case; no case was registered in connection with the BJP’s rally, effigy burning and road block. Apart from Haldwani, the ASHA workers also held strong protests and burnt the effigy of the Central government at Nainital, Garampani, Ramnagar, Bajpur, Ranikhet, Didihat, Pithoragarh, Gangolihat, Champawat, Bageshwar, Lohaghat, Pati, Tanakpur, and other places.

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