Controversy is increasing in SIR regarding work pressure on BLOs.
I am a BLO… the first person sitting on the steps of the temple of democracy who checks who has the right to vote in the grand festival of elections and who is untouched by it? These days my demand is quite high. Someone is doing politics in our name and someone is trusting. If anyone is suffering amidst the great debate going on in the name of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in India, it is me… The work of SIR has changed our lives. Such work pressure is being put on us that many of our colleagues have even sacrificed their lives. With the sword of suspension hanging over our heads and the struggle to complete the work within the deadline, we set out every morning with bags on our shoulders among those who want to be a part of the great festival of democracy.
I wake up at 5 in the morning, take bath and leave the house at around 7 o’clock. Door-to-door distribution of forms, mapping and double-checking of information filled in the form is an important part of our work. Many times one has to knock two or three times on the same house. Amidst all these tasks, we do not even have enough time left to eat food comfortably. Sometimes we all eat dinner at 6 in the evening and many times the tiffin box goes back.
The real test begins after the day of distribution of forms and their collection. It is necessary to upload the information related to the forms coming every day on the online data. As simple as this task should be, it is becoming more complex. This work is highly technical and time consuming. In any case, we have to finish this work before 12 midnight. After this, after completing the work, we sleep at around 1 o’clock. The fear of SIR is such that one cannot sleep and only thinks about whether tomorrow’s target will be achieved or not. This kind of mental stress is eating us every day.
Working all day long at an annual honorarium of Rs 6000
The work of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has been assigned to BLOs in addition to their main government job. This is the reason why we are not given salary but honorarium for this work. The honorarium of BLO may vary according to the states. In Uttar Pradesh, BLOs are given an annual honorarium of Rs 6,000. However, there is a proposal that in a big campaign like SIR, additional incentive amount of Rs 2000 to 6000 should be given. Teachers (government schools), Anganwadi workers, Patwari/Lekhpal/Amin, Panchayat Secretary/Gram Sevak, electricity bill reader, postman and health workers (MPW/ANM etc.) have been included in this work of BLO.
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The problem increases after men go to work.
We have to reach the homes of common people at 7 in the morning because working men leave for office between 8 and 9 o’clock. In such a situation, it is necessary for us to reach there while staying at their house. In a house where only women live, they do not understand what to fill in the form. In such houses we have to visit two to three times. The description of the form is so long that it takes at least 45 minutes to an hour to visit any house. We have to fill 50 to 55 forms in a day. In such a situation, we are not able to understand how our target will be accomplished on time.
Death of 7 states and 25 BLOs in 22 days
More than 5.32 lakh Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are doing the work of knocking at the homes of more than 51 crore voters in 12 states across the country. These BLOs are being accused of getting more work done in less time. The situation seems to be worsening to such an extent that due to excessive work pressure, around 25 BLOs from 7 states have committed suicide in the last 22 days. Whereas Trinamool Congress has claimed the death of 34 people in Bengal alone. Now the Election Commission has sought reports from the districts and states on these allegations. The Commission has clearly said that till now no one has committed suicide due to work pressure.
Also read-What will happen if your name is deleted from SIR? Will you ever be able to get your name added? Know here