Vij for prohibitory orders around hospitals
CHANDIGARH: Even as the strike by about 12,000 contractual employees of the national health mission (NHM) entered its seventh day on Monday, Haryana health minister Anil Vij wrote to district authorities for prohibitory orders so as to thwart demonstrations around hospitals.
Vij told mediapersons that while he had again issued a 24-hour ultimatum to contractual employees, all civil surgeons had also been directed to issue such notices in their respective districts. Vij, however, also held that a large number of employees had resumed their work on Monday.
“We have asked the district authorities to impose Section 144 CRPC (prohibiting assembly of four or more persons) around hospitals so that there is no disturbance or inconvenience to patients,’’ he said.
Stating that all justified demands of NHM workers including hike in their salary and framing of service rules had been accepted and were under process at different levels, Vij said that only the Central government could decide on the employees demand of regularisation of services.
About 12,000 NHM employees, including para-medical staff, lab technicians, pharmacists, have been on strike since November 5. Their main demands include increase in their salaries (equivalent to 7th pay commission) as has been given to other contractual employees working in boards and corporations, framing of service rules and regularisation of their services.
Meanwhile, the leader of the opposition, Abhay Chautala, condemned what he termed as the insensitive and deceptive manner in which government was addressing the demands of NHM contractual employees.