Two Censuses being conducted during the same period — one by the Centre and the other by the state government — brings plenty on Punjab teachers plate at a time when intense heat has gripped the entire region, making door-to-door surveys challenging.

The national population census being conducted by the government of India along with the Punjab government’s own “Drug and Socio-Economic Census” has multiplied their problems. Several teachers have alleged that they have been put on “double duty”, meaning their names have appeared in the duty list of both the Censuses.

“We are already doing Census 2027 duty for the Government of India, and now the Punjab government is imposing its drug Census also on us. Teachers are being treated like donkeys in such hot weather. We have refused to do both duties and have told the officials that we won’t join the drug census,” a teacher from Ludhiana district said.

Teachers in Punjab have been out of schools for months now, and are burdened under several non-academic duties, both by the Centre and state governments. From population Census and Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters list under the Election Commission to local body polls being conducted by the Punjab State Election Commission, and now the Drug and Socio-Economic Census, teachers have alleged that they are being “extremely harassed” and not allowed to teach, which is their primary job.

Interestingly, for the Punjab government’s Drug and Socio-Economic Census, a first-ever in the state being conducted to “find extent of drug addiction in the state”, earlier the teachers were told to “volunteer” as enumerators and told that they will be paid Rs 250 per household. However, after receiving the lukewarm response and facing the shortage of enumerators, the duties have now been mandatory in some districts.

As per the order issued by Ludhiana SDM (east) on Friday, as many as 1,281 teachers from Ludhiana alone were put on duty for drug Census and directed to report for training on Saturday. The order said that if teachers won’t report, action will follow. However, a massive protest erupted on Saturday near SCD College, Ludhiana, where teachers were told to report for training. A majority of the teachers alleged that they were put on “double duty” and they refused to join the drug Census one.

“We feel that the national Census 2027 is our duty and we are happily doing it. It is not that tough to ask 30 basic questions. But now the Punjab government is imposing its drug Census on us. It has 120 questions that have to be asked to each family. We are already out of schools due to Census 2027 and SIR, and now this drug Census is being imposed on us. We have refused to join double or triple duties. They can take whatever action they want to take action against us,” another teacher from Ludhiana said.

“On one hand, the Punjab government says that teachers won’t be burdened with non-academic work and here, we are being given not one but double and triple duties. What was the urgency of the Punjab government to conduct the drug Census in the period when the national Census is already ongoing? And anyway, majority questions in drug Census are related to the AAP government’s own schemes which they want to publicise. Teachers are bearing the brunt of all this,” a teacher from Sangrur district said.

A teacher from Ludhiana said that authorities have assured them that “no teacher will be forced to join double duty.” “We have been told by the authorities that those who are already doing Census 2027 duty won’t be forced to join the drug Census. But things will be clear on Monday. If they will still force us, we will again sit in a protest,” Sanjiv Kumar, a teacher said.