
Darjeeling, Aug. 28 -- Women health workers of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) were allegedly harassed while conducting a dengue survey, sparking strong protests. The incident took place on Thursday morning in Ward No. 35's Pipeline area in Siliguri.
According to reports, on Wednesday, surveyors had found mosquito larvae in a house. When they revisited the premises on Thursday, the family members, including the house owner, allegedly misbehaved with the female workers. The workers accused the men of heckling them and obstructing them from discharging their duties. Outraged, the women stopped work and staged a demonstration, stating that such harassment is frequent but this time "the matter went beyond limits." They have decided to lodge a formal complaint with the Borough IV office and demand legal action against the accused.
Ward supervisor Priyanka Saha Mondal said: "When we go for surveys, people misbehave with us. This time the residents even tried to assault us. We are working for public good, but where is our safety? We want strict action against the house owner including legal steps. We have already informed the borough chairman." The incident created an uproar across the city. Deputy Mayor Ranjan Sarkar also expressed concern.
He stated: "These workers are key to keeping dengue under control in the city. Treating them this way is unacceptable. In some wards, similar incidents have taken place. I will ensure through local councillors that residents cooperate with surveyors so they can perform their duties. '
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.