Mysore/Mysuru: ASHA workers, under the banner of Karnataka State Samyukta ASHA Workers Association, staged a State-wide online protest yesterday seeking fulfilment of their various demands, which chiefly included wage hike and payment of wage dues. 

The ASHA workers registered the protest from their homes by holding placards containing their charter of demands.

Maintaining that ASHA workers are doing a risky job of making door-to-door visits as part of COVID duties and collection of samples in this critical time when the deadly COVID-19 pandemic is on a rampage in the country, they said that they are also tasked with delivery of medicine kits to home isolated patients, conduct Sero Survey and sending health updates of people. 

As such, the ASHA workers must be paid a monthly risk allowance of Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 25,000 as relief for such workers who are undergoing treatment after contracting  the virus. Demanding a compensation of Rs. 50 lakh in case of COVID death, they alleged that ASHA workers are being forced to do COVID duties other than specified.

Accusing the Government of neglecting ASHA workers, who are at the frontline in the battle against the deadly pandemic, they urged the Government to provide them safety kits.