Asha workers on census duty brave heat, glitches

Pune: Every afternoon, Asha worker Seema (name changed) slings a bag carrying forms and a cellphone over her shoulder and begins knocking on doors in her locality for the ongoing census exercise. By the end of the day, she has walked through lanes for hours in the sweltering heat, trying to collect details from families, many of whom are either unaware of the process or reluctant to share personal information.

Seema said she surveyed nearly 800 residents.

"We spend three to four hours outdoors every day and usually cover around 10 to 12 households. Some families cooperate but in many homes people hesitate to share information," Seema added.

Across Maharashtra, thousands of Asha workers deployed for the census are facing similar difficulties as temperatures remain high. Workers said the exercise has become physically exhausting because most surveys are conducted during peak daytime hours.

Of the total 80,000 Asha workers, at least 20,000 could be on the field, state president of Asha workers Raju Desle said.

"Asha workers have been appointed to help prevent infant and maternal deaths. They should not be given census and election work. They do not have access to advanced cellphones needed for census work. These issues should have been taken into account. Some reconsideration is necessary for SIR work," he said, adding that they may launch an agitation.

Enumerators said younger residents were often sceptical and questioned why personal details were being sought, while elderly citizens appeared more curious and cooperative. "Being from the same locality helps because people recognise us and trust us," one of them said.

Workers added that a large section of the population still remained unaware that the census exercise had started, increasing the burden on field staff who have to explain the purpose of the survey before beginning data collection.

On the other hand, many residents have shown empathy towards the workers working in the heat.

"People often offer us drinking water when they see us going from door-to-door in the afternoon heat," another Asha worker said.

The field exercise was crucial for accurate data collection, with enumerators physically verifying household details across urban and rural areas, a district census official.