Massive protest at GMC over delay in salaries
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, August 17
High drama was witnessed at Government Medical College (GMC) amid a protest by mess workers and class IV employees here today. The protesters, demanding release of their salaries pending for six months, raised slogans — principal murdabad — but they were confronted by office staff chanting ‘principal zindabad’.
The mess workers said they hadn’t received their salaries for six months and the class IV employees claimed salaries were not disbursed among them for this month. “It’s been 17 days. Class four workers are facing difficulty to make their both ends meet,” said Prem Chand, a leader of the protesters.
They said that employees of the principal office, instead of making efforts to release their salaries, had made it a prestige issue.
However, an official of the college, who didn’t wish to be named, said, “The college management has sought time till Friday, but the employees are politicising the matter unnecessarily. Even senior officials haven’t received the salaries this month.”
The reason behind the delay in salaries this month is the digitisation of service books of the employees. The service books are being made online and it is a time-consuming process. Staff at the principal’s office said they had been working overtime to complete the work but even then some people were making it an issue.
Principal Dr Tejbir Singh said, “Earlier, I had committed that the salaries would be disbursed on Friday. Holding protest ahead of the committed day is uncalled for as the protesters knew about it.”
About the salaries of mess workers, he said, “The account from which salaries are paid to mess workers needs permission to operate from the Finance Department. The permission is renewed every year. The case is being pursued and as soon as the power to operate the account is delegated, the mess workers will be paid.”
