Occupational Health Allowance extended to outsourced sanitation workers in Andhra Pradesh; park workers excluded

Government extends ₹6,000 OHA to UGD, sanitation & malaria workers in AP.

The State government has extended the monthly Occupational Health Allowance (OHA) of ₹6,000 to outsourced underground drainage workers (UGDs), sanitation vehicle drivers and malaria workers of the Public Health Department.

A Government Order (G.O. Ms. No. 1) was released on January 1 (Monday) to this effect.

The allowance is one of the 13 demands of the workers who have been on an indefinite strike since December 26.

The government has been providing the allowance to public health workers of the urban local bodies in the State since August 15, 2019.

Special Chief Secretary of Municipal Administration and Urban Development, Y. Sri Lakshmi, and Minister Audimulapu Suresh held talks with the protesting workers recently, and it was agreed upon that the OHA would be extended to four sections of workers, including UGD workers, sanitation vehicle drivers, park workers and malaria workers, said K. Umamaheswara Rao, general secretary of A.P. Municipal Workers’ and Employees’ Federation.

But, in the G.O. released on Monday, the government has omitted park workers from the list of beneficiaries, he said, showing a copy of the minutes of the meetings and the G.O., and appealed to the government to amend the G.O. and ensure that the park workers are also extended the allowance.