TIRUNELVELI: Women Health Volunteers (WHV) of the Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam scheme submitted a petition with District Collector Dr KP Karthikeyan, demanding job permanency, increase in salary, and reduction in workload, during the grievance redressal meeting held here on Monday.
The petition submitted by nearly 100 WHVs from across the district highlighted that around 200 WHVs have been serving under the scheme, since the Covid-19 pandemic, to identify non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes among rural populations. Despite their critical role, the WHVs alleged that they are burdened with excessive tasks beyond their job description and are being paid a meagre Rs 5,500 as salary, inclusive of travel allowances.
The volunteers stated that they often use personal two-wheelers to transport medical supplies to remote villages as public transport is inadequate, resulting in significant out-of-pocket expenses for fuel. They added that they were recently assigned additional responsibilities, including identifying infectious diseases and collecting biological specimens, such as sputum samples for tuberculosis diagnosis.
Emphasising that their families are struggling with financial hardships, they urged the state government to absorb them as permanent staff and provide adequate remuneration, and requested immediate intervention to ensure fair compensation and job security.
Further, Kamarajar Samooga Nala Peravai members submitted a petition with the collector urging the state government to allow the victims, who were cheated through the investment scheme of the PACL, to register the land of the company in their name.
Meanwhile, based on the complaints of the district administration, the Tirunelveli city police registered four cases against some petitioners who allegedly disturbed other petitioners with the unpermitted protests in front of the collectorate.