EDMC-run Swami Dayanand Hospital docs, staff call strike
EDMC-run Swami Dayanand Hospital docs, staff call strike
Not paid salaries for past 4 months
New Delhi, Feb. 2 (Delhi Crown): Doctors and all para-medical staff at the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC)-run Swami Dayanand Hospital, at Dilshad Garden, are on an indefinite strike over non-payment of their salaries for the past four months.
The EDMC Commissioner paid their one-month salary only on Tuesday, however the strike continues.
There are nearly 300 employees/workers at the hospital who are on strike.
The EDMC is governed by the BJP. Sitting BJP Councillor from Dilshad Garden B.S. Panwar alleged that the local body wasn’t able to pay the hospital staff’s salaries because of the paucity of funds as, according to him, “the Delhi Government has time and again failed to pay the dues to the EDMC.”
Panwar added – “We have made repeated appeals to the Delhi health minister, and also moved court asking for dues, but nor result so far. We continue to face financial crunch and aren’t able to pay salaries to the hospital staff.”
The BJP’s MCD Councillor alleged – “the intention of the Delhi Government is to ensure that the EDMC, which is run by the BJP, gets a bad name due to the hospital staff’s strike ahead of the MCD polls, which are due in April, and they manage to win the ensuing polls.”
Meanwhile, Mohini Jeenwal, who is Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) MCD Councillor from the neighbouring ward – New Seemapuri, claimed that the BJP wasn’t able to run the EDMC. “The Delhi Government gives money to the EDMC on regular intervals. Whatever are the dues are already paid, but the BJP which rules the EDMC misuse the funds while indulging in corruption,” she stated over phone.
Mohini further alleged that in the run up to the last MCD elections, held in 2017, the BJP had mentioned in its manifesto that if the Delhi government doesn’t pay them the dues (funds) they will get the funds directly from the Government.
“Now, if according to them the Delhi government isn’t paying them the dues, why don’t they get the funds directly from the Centre?” said Mohini, the AAP MCD Councillor.
