Doctors, vets protest on third day of strike over cut in NPA

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 14

Disappointed over the government’s evasive policy on the issue of the non-practicing allowance (NPA), medical and veterinary doctors held protests on the last day of their strike in the district.

During the three-day strike, all types of OPDs and other activities, except emergency, medico/vetro legal and Covid duty, were boycotted.

The Joint Government Doctors Coordination Committee (JGDCC) had given the call of a three-day strike to mark their protest against the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations on the delinking of the non-practicing allowance (NPA) from the basic pay and for other demands.

Dr Rohit Rampal at the Civil Hospital said they observed the strike today also and OPD services remained off. He, however, said the emergency services were performed as normal. The members of the Punjab State Nurses Association, Ludhiana district, also protested against the recommendations of the pay commission at the Civil Hospital today.

Meanwhile, the veterinary officers held a rally at the Veterinary Polyclinic on Gill Road to express their protest against the Sixth Pay Commission. They also carried out a protest march till Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College.

Retired Deputy Directors of the Animal Husbandry Department, Senior Veterinary Officers and many others participated in the protest rally. Addressing the gathering, former Deputy Directors Dr VK Jindal, Dr Charanjit Singh Pandher, Dr Malkit Singh Deol, Dr Gurcharan Singh Toor, Dr Inderjit Singh Arora and Punjab State Veterinary Officers Association leader Dr Darshan Kheri and others criticised the government for going back on its promise.

They warned the government that if the wrong policy is not revoked, the entire medical and veterinary doctors of Punjab would be forced to go on strike for an indefinite period.

Medical and veterinary doctors have been fighting against the government’s decision regarding the reduction in the NPA since June 25, but the government has failed to hear their voice, they said.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.