Hindu Rao doctors call off strike

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 21

The resident doctors of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation-run Hindu Rao hospital called off their indefinite strike today, as an "arrangement" was reached to disburse their dues, the hospital authority said.

They went on an indefinite stir yesterday over non-payment of salaries for the past three months. The strike partially hit health services at the hospital.

An official of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation had said the salaries could not be paid due to delay in release of funds by the Delhi government, which released around Rs 206 crore to the cash-strapped municipal corporation on Monday.

"The strike was called off as an arrangement was reached about their salaries and payment of arrears. It was done in the presence of Union minister Vijay Goel and North Delhi Mayor Avtar Singh," a senior North Delhi Municipal Corporation official said.

The official said salaries for the month of March have been released and are also being paid for April.

"As per the charter of demands put up by the resident doctors' association, the demand for arrears will be put up to the competent authority for release, as soon as possible," he said.

Goel in his tweet in Hindi said the strike was called off on Tuesday.

"The salaries of two months have been credited in their accounts, and for the third month will be deposited sooner or later. And no action shall be taken against these doctors," he wrote on Twitter.

Protesting delay in payment of salaries for three months, the resident doctors on Monday had said that the hospital should be handed over to the Central government, if the local government and the municipal corporation are unable to run it properly.

"It's not just a question of three months' salary; we are facing this recurring problem. The Delhi government and the North DMC should give up this hospital if they cannot ensure regular payment of staff.

"We need a permanent solution of the problem, said Rahul Chaudhary, president of hospital's Resident Doctors Association.

The doctors had also complained about poor facilities, like non-availability of potable water and residential facilities for them.

The facilities at outdoor patients' department and wards of the 1,200-bed hospital were affected partially due to the strike, before it was called off about at 1pm.