DOCS AT NORTH MCD HOSPITAL THREATEN STRIKE FROM FEB 1 OVER UNPAID SALARIES
NEW DELHI: Doctors of Kasturba Hospital, run by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, are likely to go on an indefinite strike from February 1 over nonpayment of salaries for the past three months.
A formal announcement is likely to be made by the doctors’ association after a meeting on January 27. Doctors of Hindu Rao and other hospitals under the north corporation are yet to decide on whether to strike work, but they will write to the civic authorities urging them to make pending payments.
Nurses and paramedics of Kasturba Hospital, Hindu Rao Hospital and Rajan Babu TB hospital are already on strike since January 7 along with employees of other departments of north corporation over non-payment of salaries.
Dr Sunil Kumar, president of the Kasturba Hospital Resident Doctors’ Association, said salaries for the months of November, December and January are pending. “Our salaries are pending for three months and we are giving our services without payment. We also have our families to feed and non-payment of salaries has now become a norm in the north civic body. This has to end. We are waiting till January 26 (Tuesday) for our salaries to be paid. We are likely to go on an indefinite strike from February 1, if our salaries are not released. On January 27 (Wednesday) we will have a meeting to decide our strategy,” Kumar said.
Another doctor of the hospital, who wished not to be named, said, “We have come to know that our salaries are unlikely to be paid till March as the civic body is focusing on the release of salaries of employees of other departments, who are already on an indefinite strike. We have no choice left but to go on a strike.”
Responding to the doctors’ claims, north corporation mayor Jai Prakash said, “We are arranging funds to pay salaries of employees, which also include doctors. They (doctors) are responsible people, so they should maintain decorum and not go on strike as that is not the solution. They should also show us some cooperation.”