Members of the Mohali Industries Association (MIA) on Wednesday held a protest march against the poor facilities at the Employee State Insurance (ESI) hospital in Phase 7, Industrial Area, and two dispensaries in Phase 7, Industrial Area, and Phase 2.
The march started from MIA Bhawan in Phase 7, Industrial Area and culminated at the Phase 7/8 light point, where the industrialists raised slogans against the state and central governments.
Addressing media persons, MIA president Anurag Aggarwal said that the association has always worked along with the government and rarely resorted to protests, but they have now been forced to express their anger as all their requests, including those made to the Union labour minister, Union health minister,director general of ESIC Corporation, New Delhi, Punjab health secretary and director of ESI, Punjab, have fallen on deaf ears.
He said it is astonishing that ESI Hospital and dispensaries are currently working only from 8am to 2pm. “We urge the authorities to make them operational 24x7, as industry is working throughout the day. The insured workers may be referred 24x7 hrs only to empanelled hospitals under the ESI Scheme, where cashless medical facility is available, instead of government institutions. ESI dispensaries should also work round-the-clock. Also, time-bound clearance of medical reimbursements bills of beneficiaries should be ensured,” added Aggarwal. He said that if the corporation does not reply to their demand in two weeks, MIA will intensify the protest and may even ask industrialists to not deposit ESI contribution.
Vivek Kapoor, vice-president of MIA, said that ₹10 crore is deposited with the ESIC every month from Mohali, but not even 10% of that is spent on the workers by the corporation.
{{/usCountry}}Vivek Kapoor, vice-president of MIA, said that ₹10 crore is deposited with the ESIC every month from Mohali, but not even 10% of that is spent on the workers by the corporation.
{{/usCountry}}Dilpreet Boparai, joint finance secretary of MIA, that it is very shameful that despite spending their hard-earned money, workers are having to suffer.
The ESI scheme is a social security scheme to provide medical healthcare facilities to insured persons and their families.