Source: DNA | Last Updated 02:41(29/09/11)
Bangalore: More than 100 staffers working in various Aadhar centres struck work on Wednesday, demanding that they be given their salaries for August.
The protesters also demanded better incentives and accommodation.
Hailing from poor families from Tumkur, Gulbarga and Chitradurga, they joined the centres in mid-August hoping to get good salaries, incentives, food and accommodation. "We didn't receive our salary or incentives," said Sumesh Kumar, one of the operators. Apart from the salary, the operators were promised Rs 5 per enrolment after the routine 30 enrolments.
"Most of us were able to get about 60 to 80 enrolments per day. But after working here for a few weeks, we were told that our routine enrolments per operator had been increased to 60, after which we would be given Rs 1 as incentive for every enrolment," said Kumar.
"The accommodation was very poor," said Gangadhara, another protester.
For 90 boys, there were just six beds and 18 mattresses. For 30 girls, the office room was converted into a bedroom by shifting computers to a corner and spreading eight mattresses across the room.
There were only three toilets for girls. Of them, only one toilet was in proper condition.
"One had no pipe, the other had no door. So with just one toilet left, some of us have to wake up at 3 am to use it. The 30 of us have to be ready at the centres by 7.45 am," said Susheela, a protester.
Compared with boys, the girls were lucky.
"Just think of it, about 90 boys have to use just two toilets," she added.
Anger and discontentment was brewing over the weeks and the situation reached a breaking point on Tuesday evening when the girls were asked to find paying guest accommodation for themselves.
"Around 7pm, a meeting was convened and we were told that we would have to give up our accommodation here and look for the same elsewhere. The employees would pay Rs 1,000. We would have to arrange the remaining amount," said Swati, a protester.
"How are we going to find accommodation in one day and how are we going to pay for it," she asked.The boys have been given time till the September 30 to move out.
When contacted, Ashvinee Kumar, manager, operations, said that since many of the operators joined duty after August 22, they were told that the salary for August would be added to their September salary.
As for the incentives, he made it clear that the Rs 5 per enrolment idea was propagated by some agencies.
The protesters also demanded better incentives and accommodation.
Hailing from poor families from Tumkur, Gulbarga and Chitradurga, they joined the centres in mid-August hoping to get good salaries, incentives, food and accommodation. "We didn't receive our salary or incentives," said Sumesh Kumar, one of the operators. Apart from the salary, the operators were promised Rs 5 per enrolment after the routine 30 enrolments.
"Most of us were able to get about 60 to 80 enrolments per day. But after working here for a few weeks, we were told that our routine enrolments per operator had been increased to 60, after which we would be given Rs 1 as incentive for every enrolment," said Kumar.
"The accommodation was very poor," said Gangadhara, another protester.
For 90 boys, there were just six beds and 18 mattresses. For 30 girls, the office room was converted into a bedroom by shifting computers to a corner and spreading eight mattresses across the room.
There were only three toilets for girls. Of them, only one toilet was in proper condition.
"One had no pipe, the other had no door. So with just one toilet left, some of us have to wake up at 3 am to use it. The 30 of us have to be ready at the centres by 7.45 am," said Susheela, a protester.
Compared with boys, the girls were lucky.
"Just think of it, about 90 boys have to use just two toilets," she added.
Anger and discontentment was brewing over the weeks and the situation reached a breaking point on Tuesday evening when the girls were asked to find paying guest accommodation for themselves.
"Around 7pm, a meeting was convened and we were told that we would have to give up our accommodation here and look for the same elsewhere. The employees would pay Rs 1,000. We would have to arrange the remaining amount," said Swati, a protester.
"How are we going to find accommodation in one day and how are we going to pay for it," she asked.The boys have been given time till the September 30 to move out.
When contacted, Ashvinee Kumar, manager, operations, said that since many of the operators joined duty after August 22, they were told that the salary for August would be added to their September salary.
As for the incentives, he made it clear that the Rs 5 per enrolment idea was propagated by some agencies.
