Workers under several govt. schemes terminated without explanation, allege unions

Unions in Andhra Pradesh demand government intervention after workers in various sectors are allegedly removed from their jobs.

Several unions, part of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and affiliated to the CPI(M), have alleged that many field assistants (FA), ASHAs, municipal and midday meal scheme workers, among others, were being removed from their jobs. They demanded that the government look into the issue.

The unions of ASHAs, midday meal scheme workers, FAs, Village Organisation Assistants (VOAs) and others have been staging protests intermittently in Vijayawada for a month to bring the issue to the attention of officials.

CITU State president A.V. Nageswara Rao said services of all those who the government thinks has an allegiance to YSRCP or has someone in the family who used to be with YSRCP are being removed. “Though we do not have the exact numbers yet, this has been happening across all the sectors in the State for the past one month,” Mr. Nageswara Rao said, adding that it is happening on a large scale particularly in Anantapur district.

A midday meal worker named K. Saraswati, who used to work at a government school in Ithavaram village in Nandigama mandal of NTR district, was reportedly removed on July 2 without an explanation. “I had been working there for five years. There were no complaints against me. On July 2, I was making preparations for lunch when I got a call from the school authorities informing me of my dismissal from work. The authorities said they received a message instructing them to remove me, and another woman was recruited in my place immediately,” she said, adding that being a widow, her family has lost their only source of income.

In NTR district, 12 midday meal workers were removed without explanation, CITU district unit member Supraja said, adding that the number of VOAs removed so far is more than 50 in the district alone.

Lanka Santhi, State general secretary of ASHA Workers‘ Union, affiliated to the CPI’s All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), said when it comes to ASHAs, some of them have been threatened that they would be removed, but none has been removed so far.

Leaders of CITU, who staged a protest at Dharna Chowk in Vijayawada on Monday, said they submitted representations to the officials at the Collectorate. They have assured us that they would look into the issue, Ms. Supraja said, adding that despite a letter from the District Education Officer last week with clear instructions not to remove any midday meal worker, terminations are still going on.