Ludhiana | ASHA workers accuse administration of harassment, stage protest

The protesting ASHA workers alleged that they were deputed to distribute masks, gloves and other items at the polling station and were directed to stay at the polling station in Ludhiana until the bio-medical waste was collected

Raising hue and cry over alleged harassment due to unnecessary delay in lifting bio-medical by collection teams, the ASHA workers association staged a protest outside the office of deputy commissioner-cum-district election officer Varinder Sharma on Monday.

The ASHA workers association staged a protest outside the office of deputy commissioner-cum-district election officer Varinder Sharma in Ludhiana. (HT Photo)

The protesting workers alleged that they were deputed to distribute masks, gloves and other items at the polling station and were directed to stay at the polling station until the bio-medical waste was collected.

President of the association Balbir Kaur said the polling process ended at around 7pm. “At many points, the collection teams did not show up even after 11pm. We had to wait at polling station and the security at many private schools asked the workers to move out. We were forced to sit on roads with the waste and had to return leaving the waste at the spot after the collections teams did not show up,” Balbir said.

“We were not even given our wages of ₹500, meant for every worker deputed on election duty. Many other workers could not cast their vote as they were deputed away from their respective constituency and had to leave their houses at 5am. The lives of the workers were also put at risk as no transportation was arranged by administration and we had to return to our houses late at night in private transport. It was sheer harassment and we staged a protest over the same,” said Kaur, while adding that they have sought a meeting with the DEO in this regard.

The administration has assured that a meeting will be arranged on February 23, said Kaur.