Thousands of Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers organised ‘Chalo Collectorate’ protests across the State on Tuesday, demanding that the government solve their long pending demands.
They criticised the police for preventing them from submitting representations and resorting to preventive arrests at some places.
Asha Workers’ Association gave a State-wide call to its members to lay siege to Collectorates and submit their charter of demands.
Association general secretary K. Dhana Lakshmi appealed to the government to regularise the services of Asha workers, pay ₹12,000 honorarium, provide maternity and medical benefits, give compensation to those who died while discharging COVID duties, provide mobile phones, security for Asha workers and give priority to them while recruiting ANMs.
Protests were staged in Anantapur, Visakhapatnam, Machilipatnam, Srikakulam, Kurnool, Eluru and other places. At some places, women argued with the police when they resorted to preventive arrests.
Arrested workers continued their protests at the police stations in some districts. Police released the women later.
