HINDU RAO DOCTORS PLAN INDEFINITE STRIKE

NEW DELHI: Health services at North Delhi Municipal Corporation-run Hindu Rao hospital are feared to be disrupted as its resident doctors plan to go on an indefinite strike over pending salaries from Monday. There is no word on payment of salaries due for past three months. Around 450 resident doctors and interns are forced to go on strike from Monday, said Rahul Chaudhary, president of Resident Doctors Association (RDA) at the hospital.

"We have planned to set up a temporary OPD on the campus for patients but will not join our respective departments and other duties," Chaudhary said.

The resident doctors will also stage a march and seek "alms" from patients as a symbolic protest against failure of the corporation authorities to pay their salaries, he said.

The municipal corporation, suffering financial stress, has been facing hardships in regular payment of salaries to its employees, including sanitation workers and those serving in other departments.

A senior NDMC official said salaries of the doctors were delayed due to "lack of funds" and arrangements were being made to solve the problem. Since Thursday, the resident doctors of the hospital have abstained from duty for three hours everyday, warning about an indefinite strike from Monday.

Chaudhary said the strike is being held to protest delay in payment of salaries and the association is not against patients. The doctors of this civic body-run hospital haven't received their salaries for three months, owing to which around 400 resident doctors went on a strike for two days (Thursday and Friday) –from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm.