Hindu Rao hospital faces another stir

The hospital is run by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation. The corporation said they are going through a financial crisis because of which, they are unable to pay their employees including teachers, engineers and nurses.

About 1000 doctors at the Bara Hindu Rao Hospital have threatened to go on strike from Monday because they have not been paid their salaries for more than three months.

A notice issued by the Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA) on Sunday read: “We hereby declare an indefinite strike commencing at 9 am on May 20.(HTPhoto)

The hospital is run by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation. The corporation said they are going through a financial crisis because of which, they are unable to pay their employees including teachers, engineers and nurses.

A notice issued by the Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA) on Sunday read: “We hereby declare an indefinite strike commencing at 9 am on May 20. We have persistently requested our administration for basic demands like receiving our salaries on time, protection from violence by relatives of patients, availability of potable drinking water, a 24 hour library and regular JR/SR (Junior Doctor/Senior Doctor) interviews.”

“There have been many meetings regarding this subject with the administration but no action has been taken till date,” it says.

The hospital administration shall be responsible for any mishap that may ensue during this time period. We will run the parallel OPD in front of G Block (Administrative Block) keeping in mind the welfare of patients, the notice adds.

The Hindu Rao Hospital, situated on the northern ridge on Malka Ganj road, is one of the largest facilities in this part of the city and caters to over 2,000 patients daily.

Doctors here have been on a ‘pen down strike’ for three hours daily since Thursday. They also filed a petition in the Delhi High Court on Friday and wrote to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) regarding their situation.

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation had on Friday written to the Delhi government to provide it the first quarter of its tax dues — ₹385.60 crore — immediately as it is facing a financial crisis. The civic body officials said that the money should have come in April. As per the Non-Plan Budget provisions for financial year 2019-2020 allocated by the Delhi government to the north corporation, they are accorded ₹1,542.40 crore in total. The first quarter amount of this is ₹385.60 crore that should have come by now, officials said.

As per rules, the first instalment is 25% of the sanctioned annual tax share and comes in the beginning of the year. The second is 50% of the amount and comes in September. The third instalment is the remaining 25% that comes in March the next year.