Deputy chief minister OP Soni cancels Ropar visit as NHM workers hold protest

Tribune News Service

Ropar, December 1

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister OP Soni on Wednesday had to cancel his visit to the local civil hospital here after a large number of National Health Mission workers announced to oppose it.

Soni, who also holds the portfolio of health department, was scheduled to inaugurate the universal newborn hearing screening machine at the civil hospital.

More than 100 NHM workers, including community health officers, doctors, nurses, clerical and other contractual staff who are on strike since October 16 said that they would not allow the deputy chief minister to enter the hospital.

Union leader Sukhjit Singh said more than 10,000 employees under the NHM had been working in Punjab at low salaries for the past 15 years. “We want our jobs to be regularised and an increase in salaries. On Tuesday, we staged a dharna on Kharar-Chandigarh road for six hours following which a meeting was held with Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, but no solution was provided,” he said.

Following this, Ropar Deputy Commissioner Sonali Giri inaugurated the machine.