Accredited social health activists are staging a dharna outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Dharwad on Thursday, demanding the intervention of the district in-charge minister to resolve the termination issue. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) protest against the termination of services of health activists in the name of rationalization entered the second day in Dharwad on Thursday.
The ASHAs staged a dharna outside the Dharwad Deputy Commissioner’s office demanding the intervention of the district in-charge minister.
ASHA district president Bhuvana Ballari told the protestors that the state government, which used the services of ASHA for the last 17 years by involving them in the implementation of every programme, is now decommissioning them in the name of rationalization.
She said ASHAs risked their lives during the COVID-19 period, which was appreciated across the world.
However, now, due to the bad policies of the health department, ASHA families are now being pushed out into the streets, she said.
She said that although an open-ended protest was planned for March 17, it was postponed after assurances from the authorities that the problem would be resolved.
However, as no concrete assurance was given to them during the March 25 meeting, they were forced to take the path of agitation, she said, demanding that Labor Minister Santosh Lad intervene and resolve the issue.
District Vice President Shantha Chavan strongly criticized the state government.
Officials Sharada Tavarageri, Shobha Hiremath, Radha Kallur and others led the protest.
Published – 26 March 2026 22:14 IST
