Flouting social distancing norms, over 100 members of the Anganwari Mulazam Union, Ludhiana, protested against the state government and the district women and child welfare department for not releasing the salaries of the workers of three blocks at the Child Development Project Office, Gill Road, on Thursday.
Protesters said 1,125 workers of Dehlon 1, Mangat 1 and Rural 1 blocks had not been paid since February.
The workers raised slogans against the government for over three hours and lifted the protest only after receiving assurance from the child development project officers that the pending salaries will be released by June 24.
Union’s state general secretary Subhash Rani said, “The workers and helpers received their salary last in February. All of them have been working tirelessly during the Covid outbreak, but the government takes no responsibility when it comes to paying them. The workers also have to run their household, and have to dip into their savings to buy face masks for work.”
She said, “We, along with auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs), have not just been involved in awareness activities, but also in tracing non-resident Indians. The helpers also delivered cooked food to households with children below the age of six until March 20 on the directions of the women and child development department.”