Hundreds of Community Health Officers (C.H.O ) from across Punjab gathered in Sangrur on Thursday to press the government for the implementation of their long-pending demands. Under the banner of the Community Health Officers Association Punjab, the protesters organized a large rally before marching towards the Chief Minister’s residence.
The rally began from the Sangrur-Patiala Bypass Overbridge on National Highway-7, where CHOs from various districts assembled in large numbers. As the protesters attempted to move towards the Chief Minister’s residence, police personnel deployed at the main entrance of the residential colony stopped the march. The demonstrators then staged a sit-in on the road, raising slogans against the state government and demanding immediate action on their pending issues. Traffic movement in the area remained affected for a brief period.
Association leaders, including President Dr. Jatinder Singh, Vice President Dr. Navjot Singh, General Secretary Dr. Darbari Lal, Dr. Vipan, District President Veerpal Kaur and Kamalpreet Kaur Kalyan, said the CHOs have been holding peaceful protests for over two months. They alleged that despite repeated assurances, the government has not issued any notification to implement the demands it had previously agreed to.
The leaders emphasized that the protest was aimed at securing the rights of Community Health Officers through democratic and constitutional means and was not intended to disrupt healthcare services across the state.
The agitation concluded after the district administration held discussions with the association and assured the protesters that a panel meeting with senior Health Department officials would be convened on August 4 to address the pending issues.
Following the assurance, the association called off the day’s protest but warned that if the meeting fails to produce a concrete outcome, the agitation will be intensified in the coming days.
