Will take strict action: Karnal hospital admn

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, August 7

Amid the ongoing strike of National Health Mission (NHM) workers at government hospitals, the regular nursing employees of the Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College (KCGMC) went on a mass casual leave today, impacting health services. The protesting staff members threatened to go on an indefinite strike from Thursday if their demands are not met.

Around 140 nurses staged a dharna outside the main gate of the college. Suman Panwar, vice-president of the nursing association, said, “The nursing employees of the Union Government are getting Rs 9,000 as nursing allowance per month, but in Haryana, the nursing staff has been receiving only Rs 1,200 per month,” she added.

The strike has placed additional pressure on the remaining nursing staff members, who have been appointed through the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam (HKRN) and the contractual system. The number of such employees is around 70, which is almost half of the number of staff members who have gone on strike.

Meanwhile, the KCGMC authorities warned of strict disciplinary action as per rules against the protesting staff, citing that the health services of patients coming to the KCGMC, Karnal, are covered under the Haryana Essential Services Maintenance Act, 1974. In a notice displayed in the college, the authorities said any illegal act, such as resorting to a strike or mass casual leave, would attract disciplinary action as per the rules.

Dr MK Garg, Director, KCGMC, meanwhile, claimed, “No services have been affected. We have assigned duties to contractual and HKRN nursing staff along with nearly 10 regular staff members who did not go on strike.”