Patna, July 14: District magistrate (DM) Sanjay Kumar Singh means business and today he made it clear that he would not tolerate complaints from those who shirk work.

Seeta Devi, a worker of Accredited Social Health Activist (Asha) at Naubatpur block, today turned up at the DM’s weekly janata darbar, thinking she would have her way easily. She complained against Mamta women persuading rural women to deliver their babies in a private hospital, depriving her of Rs 400.

Asha is a community of health workers and a part of the National Rural Health Mission who encourage rural women to deliver their babies in government hospitals. They are also supposed to educate women about family planning.

After a woman delivers a baby in a government hospital, she is paid Rs 1,400 and the woman who encouraged her to come to the hospital is paid Rs 400 as incentive.

As her turn came, Seeta walked up to the district magistrate and complained that a woman working with Mamta, who are placed at health centres to take care of the mothers and their newborn babies, is persuading women to deliver their babies in private hospitals. “Sir, the Mamta workers are persuading pregnant women to deliver babies in private hospitals. This is affecting our job badly. They are using illegal means to persuade the rural women who are supposed to deliver the babies in government hospitals,” Seeta said. Singh looked agitated.

“As far as I know about Asha, its health workers are supposed to motivate rural women to deliver their children in government hospitals for which the mother of the baby gets free treatment and Rs 1,400 as incentive. I am wondering how you have failed to perform their duties,” the DM said, visibly annoyed.

“The women who are persuaded to deliver in private hospitals have to cough up a sum of money, while if they choose government hospitals not only is the treatment free, they also get a sum of money. Despite all the advantages, how are these women still persuaded to deliver at private hospitals? You should be answerable to that,” the DM said.

Singh then called up the district programme manager, Suman Kumar, to speak on the issue. He also asked him to look into the matter and also to find out the attitude of the complainant during work.

“It seems the lady is trying to level a false allegation. She is supposed to motivate women and counsel them, which she is not doing. Even though she knows that she has failed to perform her duties, she has come here to complain,” he told the district programme manager.