Ludhiana: NHM staff strike work over pending salaries

The agitated medical workers lamented that due to non-payment of salaries, it became impossible for the employees working on contract and drawing meagre salaries to fulfil their family responsibilities

Employees of the National Health Mission (NHM) in Ludhiana on Tuesday launched a “no salary, no work” strike, demanding release of their pending wages. The protest, held outside the civil surgeon’s office, drew scores of medical staff who alleged that they had not been paid for the past three months.

NHM workers during a protest at the civil surgeon’s office in Ludhiana on Tuesday. (Manish/HT)

“It has been three months now. We took up the issue earlier as well, but the problem wasn’t solved. Now, we have been left with no choice but to go on a strike to press our demand,” said homoeopathy medical officer Dr Parveen Kaur.

The agitated medical workers lamented that due to non-payment of salaries, it became impossible for the employees working on contract and drawing meagre salaries to fulfil their family responsibilities. “Several districts of Punjab have been hit by floods, and the National Health Mission employees in these districts are facing daily financial difficulties due to non-payment of salaries,” the workers said while addressing mediapersons during the protest.

They also emphasised that the festive season was just around the corner, and it would make things harder for them. “It is surprising that till today, the salaries of many districts and blocks for the months of July and August have not been released in the Punjab. The days of festivals are coming. This time, the festivals will also be dull.”

“This has not been done by any government to date,” they alleged.

Civil surgeon Dr Ramandeep Kaur said, “I visited the NHM office in Chandigarh today to talk about the issues. There have been some technical issues with salaries. I have been assured that the salaries will be cleared in two days.”