ASHA workers break barricades, sit on dharna at Swasthya Bhawan; clash with cops | Watch

The Swasthya Bhawan premises in Salt Lake’s Sector V turned into a virtual battlefield on Wednesday as thousands of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) launched a massive protest march. The workers, who have been on a work stoppage for over two weeks, were demanding a hike in their monthly honorarium to a minimum of ₹15,000, along with formal recognition as government employees. As the rally approached the health department headquarters, a heavy police contingent attempted to block their path using multiple layers of barricades.

The situation escalated quickly as the protesters refused to back down, leading to intense scuffles with the police personnel. Defying the resistance, the ASHA workers successfully broke through consecutive barricades and reached the main gate of Swasthya Bhawan. The commotion led to a total standstill of traffic in the Sector V area, causing significant distress to commuters. The protesters voiced their frustration over the lack of basic benefits like maternity leave and death compensation, despite their extensive workload at the grassroots level.

Amid the slogans and scuffles, the main gate of the health department was shut by officials to prevent the agitators from entering the building. The protest significantly disrupted a scheduled high-level meeting with State Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam. The agitating workers alleged that while they are expected to work around the clock—especially since the COVID-19 pandemic—their current monthly income remains stagnant at around ₹5,250, which they claim is insufficient for survival.