VIJAYAWADA: Accredited Social Health Activist (Asha) workers staged protests in front of District Collector's offices across the State on Wednesday as part of their 48-hour agitation demanding minimum salary of Rs 6,000 as in Telangana, promotion as second Auxillary Nurse Midwife (ANM), non-allotment of no-incentive duties, training, accident insurance policy and other facilities.
The attempt to lay siege to the District Collectorate in Machilipatnam of Krishna district sparked tension when scores of Asha workers tried to barge into it. They blocked the main road and marched towards the Collector's Office.
Learning about their plan, the Machilipatnam police and special forces reached the spot and foiled their attempts to lay siege to the collectorate and took them into custody. All the arrested Asha workers were shifted to nearby police stations and released later in the evening.
During the protest, the Asha workers alleged that they have been working since 2006 but were being paid only incentives not salaries. They further demanded that the State government concede their just demands, failing which they would go on an indefinite strike. "We want salary not incentives. The Telangana government is paying Rs 6000 for Asha workers. How can we run a family with incentives?" Kamala, an Asha worker, questioned.
Asha workers squatted on the road when the police tried to shift them to police stations in their vehicles.
Speaking to Express, deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Md Mahaboob Basha said Asha workers tried to create a problem by obstructing the collectorate staff from performing their duties. "We remained calm when they staged a peace protest in front of the Collectorate on Tuesday. We took them into custody when they tried to lay siege to the Collector's Office. All the arrested were released in the evening," Basha said.
The same was the situation in Visakhapatnam, West Godavari, East Godavari, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and other districts.
Asha workers blocked the roadway at Satyam Junction in Visakhapatnam. However, after a while, the police intervened to arrest a few workers to break their strike.
As many as 125 Asha workers were arrested by Two Town and Three Town police stations and were released later.
President of Asha Workers' Union P Mani said a memorandum was submitted to Principal Secretary, Health, Poonam Malakondaiah to fulfil our demands.
Asha workers in Eluru alleged that the Government had failed utterly to provide regular incentives for the workers. The Eluru police took 16 Asha workers into custody.
About 1,000 Asha workers were taken into custody across the State.
Quote 1
We want salary not incentives. The Telangana government is paying Rs 6000 for Asha workers. How can we run a family with incentives?
Kamala, an Asha worker
Quote 2
We remained calm when they staged a peace protest in front of the Collectorate on Tuesday. We took them into custody when they tried to lay siege to the Collector's Office. All the arrested were released in the evening
Md Mahaboob Basha, DSP