Mosquito breeding checkers seek 21K minimum salary, permanent job
The health workers play a significant role in the prevention and control measures of dengue across the State by ensuring a check on water stagnation
CHENNAI: Alleging low wage, the dengue domestic breeding checkers in the State requested the government to pay them a minimum salary of Rs 21,000 and ensure permanent appointment. The health workers play a significant role in the prevention and control measures of dengue across the State by ensuring a check on water stagnation and mosquito breeding in the residential and commercial spaces.
Addressing media with the Doctors Association for Social Equality on Sunday, the health workers and activists demanded that the domestic breeding checkers should be treated as other frontline workers. “More than 38,000 workers are working in Tamil Nadu and they are doing commendable work in controlling the spread of dengue spreading mosquito Aedes. But, they are being paid very low. They are appointed on daily wages and are also fired from time to time. There is no job security for these people and they should be given much better opportunities,” said Dr G R Ravindranath, secretary of the Doctor’s Association for Social Equality. The domestic breeding checkers are assigned to check all the households at least once in a week for any breeding sources of Aedes mosquitos and complete the source reduction activities.
They also check for indoor breeding sources such as refrigerators, tanks, flower pots, coconut shells, old unused vehicles for the presence of Aedes larvae and are responsible for its elimination. The domestic breeding checkers also undertake fighting activities twice a day in the localities they supervise. “The domestic breeding checkers and breeding eradication workers working at various levels like municipality, corporation, and panchayat undertake the same work and we should be provided equal pay for equal work. We also demand that we should be appointed on a permanent basis, “ said president of the domestic breeding checkers and mosquito eradication workers’ association K Jayavelu. He added that despite repeated demands, the government hasn’t fulfilled their requirements.
