Around 300 doctors, nurses and paramedical staff working in the city’s hospitals, run by the three municipal corporations, on Wednesday protested against the non- payment of salaries for past three months.
They took out a candle march near ITO this evening accusing the Delhi government of pushing the doctors, nursing staff and paramedical staff of the municipal corporations run hospital to a state of starvation by not paying their salaries.
Over 1.25 lakh employees, who have yet to receive their three months’ salaries and other dues, have given an ultimatum of two weeks, following which halting of services is likely to take place. The cash-strapped agencies, however said that without getting special package, it will not be possible to ensure payments. Earlier, the national Capital had witnessed strikes by sanitation staff over the same issue but this will be the first time when all the other departments will join in.
The strike will affect the city heavily. The MCDs perform major key functions from ensuring cleanliness to maintaining birth and death records to running hospitals. The teachers and doctors were protesting against the constant delay in salaries and now the engineers, the horticulture staff and the DBC staff have all joined them, issuing a two week’s notice to the corporation. Notably, the agencies especially the North and the East have been struggling to make their ends meet while the South, which was earlier in benefit, has also announced a deficit this year. Even those from the South who have been receiving regular salaries have decided to join their brethren in a show of solidarity.
“We are quite sick of this situation where there is no surety of getting a monthly salary. They had promised that things would get better by the end of the year but nothing has changed. The situation has reached a point, where we must go on strike if we want our dues,” said a doctor at a civic hospital, requesting anonymity.
The employee unions, under one banner, on Wednesday organised a hunger strike and massive dharna in various nooks and corners of the city. The CM’s residence also witnessed protest by all associations in which the decision regarding strike was taken. The leaders of the unions, unanimously, announced that they will halt all types of civic works if the Corporations failed to disburse their salaries along with other perks. They also alleged harassment by the concerned agencies as they have been working without money for over 100 days. The employees claimed to enjoy support of top officials including Commissioners as they too are not getting their salaries due to money crunch.