NHM employees to wear black ribbons on polio duty

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 15

Contractual employees under the National Health Mission (NHM), Chandigarh, will observe the pulse polio immunisation programme by wearing black ribbons.

In a statement, the Chandigarh NHM Employees Union stated that all contractual employees under the NHM would observe the pulse polio immunization programme on June 16 and 17 as black days.

They said their pending demand for ‘equal pay for equal work’ has not been met by the UT Health Department.

“On the contrary, the NHM Department has deducted 3 per cent from the salary of NHM employees with effect from February 19,” the union mentioned in the statement.

They alleged that after serving the NHM Department for a number of years, the Administration was forcing the employees again and again to resign from the NHM and join on another contract through service provider reason being shortage of budget allocation from the Government of India.

“Now, we want to express our anger by wearing black ribbons during polio and routine duty as a symbol of protest against the NHM Department and the UT Administration,” the union said.

“We have also approached higher officials of the UT Administration, but in vain. This negligence is forcing us to take the extreme step and it may further be extended, if our genuine demands are not met. This time, we are not harassing public, but will do our polio duty with sincerity and hope the Administration will come up with some solution,” the union leaders said.