Delhi Anganwadi Workers To Move Court Against Termination Orders

Following the government order, the workers and helpers resumed work at Anganwadi centres. But many have been served termination notices – there is no clarity on the exact numbers, with reports ranging between 26 and 90. Some union members even put the number at 300 while talking to us. There are approximately  22,000 Anganwadi workers in Delhi working at over 10,000 centres under 95 projects. 

When AWWs and AWHs resumed work, the WCD department “forced” them to sign a letter of apology for participating in the strike, alleged Kaul. “When the women refused to relent, the department started handing out termination letters in a thoroughly illegal fashion,” she said.

The termination notices penalise workers who had exercised their constitutional right to protest, said Vrishali Shruti, spokesperson of DSAWHU. “The WCD department has been issuing termination letters to these women workers in the hundreds. Till now at least 300 workers would have been served in a matter of three days.”

The issuance of termination letters had begun before the orders were issued. At least 26 workers were terminated on February 27, said Rajni Saini, an advocate and AWW whose services have been terminated. Saini had been served a show cause notice on February 25 and a response was sought within three days of its issuance. The notice alleged that Saini had been forcing AWWs and AWHs to participate in the strike and had created ruckus at Anganwadi centres. She was suspended despite the submission of a response to the WCD department. 

On March 5, Anganwadi helper Shanno, who prefers to go by her first name, was served both a show cause notice as well as a termination letter without even receiving a chance to respond to the former. “It was for participating in the strike; for exercising my rights, precisely. The truth is I had no choice but to come out on the streets. How am I supposed to run a household with Rs 4,839? I live in a rented house and have kids to feed and educate,” she said. 

BehenBox could examine 28 termination orders.