Without salaries for 6 months, paramedics stage protest

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 15

The paramedical staff working in the government hospitals of the Valley staged a protest here on Tuesday demanding payment of pending salaries and implementation of the Minimum Wages Act.

“First of all, our demand is that we should be paid salaries through the Finance Department. We also want the implementation of the Minimum Wages Act and regularisation of our services. We are Covid warriors but we have been without salaries for the past six months. What will we give to our children and parents?” All J&K Hospitals Development Fund Health Employees (AJKHDFHE) president Mir Nisar Ahmad told reporters.

He made the comments during an AJKHDFHE protest at the Press Enclave where the protesters, who were carrying banners, raised slogansfor their demands.

Mir claimed that half of the AJKHDFHE members had tested positive for Covid but they were still working in the hospitals. “Fifty per cent have already turned Covid positive and the remaining are still working. What is our fault? Many of us have been working in hospitals for the past 20 years. We work as technicians, helpers, sweepers, etc, in the hospitals and we spend our youth serving the hospital....but we are yet to get our dues,” he said.